Little Steps
by ladyd10
Summary: The in canon growing relationship between Eric and Calleigh, yet it's everything we haven't seen.
1. Chapter 1

_**Little Steps**_

Bright Miami sunlight streamed in from the gauzily curtained windows of Eric's hospital room. He sat in his hospital bed propped up by pillows, the latest forensics journal laying forgotten in his lap. Today was not a good day. Apart from the dismal performance in physical therapy, he was having a hard time paying attention or focusing on anything for any length of time. His jaw clenched in anger at himself. He knew who he was; he knew how he was, or rather, should be. But it was hard now. The bullet in his brain made it hard. He was never going to get anything back.

Like right then; he knew he was expecting somebody to drop by, but he couldn't remember who it was or why he was looking so forward to it. Was it his sister, Marisol? No, no it couldn't be Mari. Mari was dead; H said so. She hadn't been by to see him, so it must be true. She'd never let him lay in a hospital bed with a bullet in his brain and not be there for him if she were alive; not his Mari. Eric turned his head to look when he heard the sound of his door opening.

"Hey, Eric," Calleigh said, a bright smile on her face. It dimmed only slightly when she saw his demeanor. "How's it going today?"

Calleigh! That's who was coming by! _Should he lie and say that he was doing well? Yes, yes he should because he didn't want to upset her._ "Lousy."

_Well, that went well, you brain damaged moron._

She sat at his side and took his hand. "Hey, that's okay; we all have them. Why don't you tell me what's going on and maybe I can help. You know you can tell me anything."

He gestured to his head. "I can't, you know, ...um,...c-c-concentrate on anything. It's f-f-f-frustrating. It's not me," he said with some difficulty.

"And you're angry, aren't you?" she asked softly, her heart breaking for him for the millionth time since he'd been shot.

Calleigh remembered being completely terrified when she heard what had happened; how her heart pounded, the whistling in her ears and the utter panic that seized her heart.. She couldn't get a straight answer at the hospital because she wasn't a blood relative and then sobbing her heart out in the hospital's chapel while Eric was in surgery. Flashes of Tim Speedle lying in a pool of his own blood darted past her mind's eye and she knew that no matter how shattered she'd been when Tim was killed, she knew without a doubt that she'd not survive if Eric died. It was then that she understood how much he meant to her and she vowed not to dare flinch from any challenge that presented itself in helping Eric recover.

At first he had seemed alright and then the reality set in that he wasn't the same as he was before. His memory was spotty and his speech was slow or he stuttered or his words were slurred. His intellect was as sharp as ever; there were just some deficits in retrieving information.

"Don't pity me," Eric snapped, completely misreading her tone.

She raised an eyebrow. _So that was the mood today._ "I'm not pitying you, Eric. I just, well, I hate seeing you beating yourself up about something you can't help. You didn't ask for it and you didn't want it. I know that. And you're angry beyond angry. I get it and you have every right to be."

Eric looked up at her, seeing the fire in her eyes. "Cal-"

She suddenly felt herself become very angry."It's going to be different because it's going to be different. Do you think that changes how I feel about you; God, Eric, because it doesn't. Even lying there with your head wrapped in gauze and tubes coming out of every which way, I still trust you with every fiber of my being; my life. Nothing changes that. So you have a little speech issue and you might not remember every detail right now. You're still Eric Delko and it's going to get better and I am going to be here every step of the way whether you like it or not."

Eric blinked a couple of times, allowing his slowed mind to comprehend Calleigh's words. "You don't have to t-t-tie yourself d-d-down, Cal. You have a life."

She rolled her eyes. _Didn't he get it?_ "Did that bullet affect your hearing too? Eric, we've been partners and friends for over a decade. If you think I'm just going to drop you because things are rough right now, you're insane. I don't drop out on the people I love."

Love? He knew, he remembered, that he loved her from the very first day they met. He remembered that he schooled his love for her into the deepest friendship that a man and woman could have on a platonic level. Eric had known that Calleigh wasn't the relationship-of-the-month kind of woman. She was the spend-the-rest-of-your-life-with-her kind of woman and he hadn't been ready for that yet. Was he now?

He looked into her eyes again and thought he saw a flash of something other than the very deep and profound friendship they shared. "S-s-s-sorry. I can't...I didn't..." He growled in frustration when he couldn't think of the words he wanted and then couldn't make his mouth say them.

"Hey," she said, gently, softly, taking his face in her hands. "Easy; take it slow and calm down. Take a deep breath and close your eyes, then think of what you want to say and take your time."

Eric focused on her green eyes, now calmed of their earlier fire and took several deep breaths before speaking. "I'm sorry that I l-l-lashed out at you. I'm angry today. I hate how I am. I f-f-feel slow and s-s-stupid. I guess I'm h-h-having a pity p-p-party."

A soft smile crossed her lips. "No private pity parties. Talk to me, or don't if it's easier. Show me what you need. I'll understand."

Eric hesitated, not knowing if what he wanted was something that Calleigh was willing to give. It was something that he'd have asked Marisol for. Granted, he wouldn't have had to ask because Mari would have walked in and just known. He glanced up at Calleigh, trying to read her readiness, and then scooted over, patting the bed beside him.

Calleigh complied, slipping in next to him, understanding his need for comfort. If she had been the one lying in a hospital bed trapped in a position that she couldn't control, she want to be held and comforted, too. It didn't surprise her in the slightest that she wanted to hold him and comfort him. He'd do it for her.

Eric put his head on her chest and she drew him in and held him. He breathed in her soft scent and he felt himself relax. Sudden, unexpected tears, built through days of frustration and anger at his current circumstance, spilled from his eyes and he cried softly, unashamed of doing so. He felt Calleigh's grip on him tighten as she lay her cheek on top of his head, murmuring soft reassurances.

"I'm here for the long haul, Eric," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."


	2. Chapter 2

_**The Realization**_

The hospital had long fallen into it's nocturnal quiet, visitors gone home and the graveyard shift firmly in place. Calleigh shifted in the bedside chair, trying to find the least uncomfortable position for the night. She should have gone home hours ago, she knew, but couldn't bring herself to leave. Eric had already fallen asleep to the sound of her voice reading from his current novel, "All on the Same Side". She had found it in his locker when she retrieved his cross for him earlier in the day. She knew that she should go home and get some sleep, yet she couldn't leave. She wasn't family; she wasn't his wife or even girlfriend yet the events of the day wouldn't leave her alone and she felt a heightened sense of panic the longer she was away from Eric. She knew when the panic started. It started with the call from dispatch...

"_Officer down, I repeat: Officer down. Rescue needed at Biscayne Mutual second level of the parking structure."_

_Calleigh's head snapped up from her lunch plate. She tuned into her scanner more closely. "Officer is mid thirties, Hispanic with a gunshot wound to the leg and head. Possibly DOA. Rescue is responding. Will be taking victim to Miami General trauma ward for treatment or to pronounce."_

_She suddenly felt sick, dizzy. It had to be Eric. Her stomach wrenched and she fought to keep her half-eaten salad down. Memories of Speedle's death flashed through her mind."Dear God, not Eric. Please, not Eric, too." _

_Breathing hard, she stood, threw a 10 on the table and left. She had tried to drive sanely, but she feared that if she hadn't been driving a department Hummer with the lights and siren going, she'd had been pulled over for recklessness._

_Going for some semblance of calm, she pulled into the parking structure and hurried to the trauma center's admissions desk, hoping for some news._

"_Are you a relative?" the clerk asked._

_Calleigh shook her head. "No, I'm a friend; colleague. He's my partner."_

"_I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm not allowed to give out any patient information to anyone other than family," she replied almost blandly._

_Calleigh growled low in her throat and gripped the edge of the desk to keep from throttling the less than helpful clerk. "Listen, this man is like family to me and you need to tell me what's-"_

"_Calleigh, dispatch said that Eric is dead," Ryan said, jogging up behind her, panic evident in his voice. "What is going on?"_

_Relief at Ryan's presence flooded her. It gave her something to grip onto, a way to channel her worry. "I don't know; I'm trying to find out."_

_Just then the trauma care nurse came by and gave them the news that Eric wasn't dead, but it didn't look like he'd survive._

"_If he doesn't respond in the next five, they'll call it."_

_Calleigh had to take deep breaths to keep from collapsing to her knees in front of Ryan. She would not be weak in front of him. She looked over at him and realized that he needed her to be the rational one; the calm one. He looked like he was going to explode or implode or something. He needed her._

_She went to him and put an arm around his waist. "Eric will pull through; he will. You have to believe that, Ryan."_

_Calleigh knew that Ryan's response to her comforting words and gesture was only instinctual, but it made it almost impossible for her to keep her composure. He pulled her into an embrace. "God, I hope so, Calleigh. He's-"_

_It was becoming too much to bear. She pulled away from him. "Listen, I'm going for a little air. Why don't you go ahead and check in with Horatio and see if there's any more news?"_

_With that she made a hasty retreat, fighting the tears that were welling in her eyes. She made her way down the corridor until she found herself in front of the chapel. She pushed the door open and soft lavender blue lighting flowed out to her. The chapel was empty and she was craving time alone to sort out her feelings and calm herself down. No one, least of all Eric, needed her to be a basket case._

_She made her way inside and halfway up the aisle before sitting in a pew. She folded her arms on the back of the pew in front of her and leaned her forehead on them. Tears slid down her cheeks in an unending waterfall, the pain in her heart almost too much to bear. She knew, without a doubt, that there was no way that she'd survive if Eric died. He meant too much to her; was too ingrained in her life. She loved him too much. _

_Gradually she began to notice a presence next to her. Whoever it was was presuming that she wanted anyone in her personal space at that moment and was showing the audacity of thinking she wanted to be comforted by them stroking her hair. She lifted her head ready to blast the jerk and found herself looking into Alexx's kind, almost black eyes._

"_It's okay, baby; let it out," Alexx whispered, her own eyes shining with tears. _

_She held out her arms and Calleigh allowed herself to be embraced. There was no way she had the strength to hold any of her walls up just then. "I can't do this again, Alexx; I can't. It's too hard."_

"_It's too much like Timmy, I know," Alexx soothed through her own tears._

_Her heart felt like it was being crushed. Tim was dead. Did that mean that Eric-? Oh dear God, no. She began to cry harder, unable and unwilling to stop herself. "He's gone, isn't he? Tell me straight, Alexx."_

_Alexx pulled her closer, rocking her to try and still her weeping. She had never seen Calleigh so upset before, not even when Tim was killed. She had cried, they all did, but it was nothing like this. "No, baby he's not. They revived him; he's in surgery. Easy now; easy."_

Calleigh remembered that it had taken her a long time to finally calm herself enough that she could stand on her own. She thought that she would have been embarrassed by breaking down in front of Alexx, but she hadn't been. Alexx understood; had been there long enough. They had shared that pain before.

"Hey, something w-w-wrong?"

Calleigh was jolted out of her reverie by Eric's voice. "Sh-sh-sh, don't try and talk."

Eric wouldn't leave it alone. "T-tears...crying...why?"

Calleigh wiped her cheeks and scooted her chair closer to him. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine."

"No."

"I'll tell you when you get better, okay? Do you need anything?" she asked, not really wanting him to know why she had just been in tears. And it wasn't about her, anyway. His recovery was all about him.

He reached a shaky hand to her. "Come here."

She took it and moved the chair right next to the bed. "I'm here, babe. What do you need?"

He let go of her hand and placed his behind her neck, gently pulling her head down onto his chest. "You...need...r-r-rest. Sleep now."

Throat choked with tears, Calleigh nodded, snuggling in and placing her arm around his waist. She could sleep now; nothing would happen. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be lulled to sleep by his soft breathing and his fingers toying with her hair.

"I love you," she whispered softly as she finally drifted off not seeing the soft smile on his lips as he heard what she said.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Healing Begins**_

"No, Eric, I want the oval, not the circle. Give me the oval," Calleigh coached patiently. She had asked to be included in his rehabilitation program to help him as much as she could. She waited as his hands hovered over the wooden shapes on the tray in front of him. "Oval."

Finally he picked a shape up and handed it to her. "Oval."

Calleigh smiled and took it from him. "Good, Eric. Let's try another one. Give me the pentagon."

"P-p-pentag-gon," Eric stuttered staring hard at the shapes arrayed in front of him. He frowned. He should know what a pentagon looked like but it just wasn't registering.

Calleigh could see his internal struggle as it raged inside him. She could tell that he was going to blow any second. "You can do this, Eric. It has five sides."

He swept the blocks off the tray in a burst of anger. "D-d-don't help me! I'm not s-stupid!"

Instead of feeding into his anger or trying to cosset him and baby him she raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't get mad at me. You're the underwater recovery and fingerprint guy. You suck at math. I ought to know; I'm a physicist. You couldn't even calculate a 15 tip before the bullet." She knelt and started picking up the blocks. "I'm not doing this by myself, you know. Get down here and help me."

Eric, ashamed of his outburst, knelt on the floor beside her and helped her pick up all the blocks. "I'm sorry. I should know th-th-those."

"You do and you will again. We'll work on it together. Why don't we put the shapes away for today and you can read to me a little?" she suggested knowing that pushing one area for too long would only frustrate him more.

"I r-read too slow," Eric said.

"That's why you're reading out loud to me. Your fluency will increase with practice."

"No."

"Dammit, Eric, I know you have to relearn a lot of things, but this unwillingness to work isn't like you. You like a challenge," she said, frustration very evident in her voice. "What's wrong? Would you rather just have your therapist doing these things with you? What is it? I just want to help you come back so much. We all miss you and need you. Nothing is the same without you."

Eric took his time formulating what he wanted to say. He knew she was only trying to help and it touched him deeply that she cared so much. If he hadn't already loved her for years, he'd have fallen for her then. She was taking time out of her life to come to the hospital not only to visit, but to try and help him get back what he lost and he appreciated it; he really did.

He reached over and took her hands, surprised to discover that they were trembling. "Calleigh, I know that y-you're doing all of th-this because you care. I might not remember what a pentagon is, b-but I remember h-h-how close we are and how m-much we care about each other. S-s-sometimes I just want my laughing, h-happy Calleigh to tell me about her d-day. You don't always have to t-try so hard."

Calleigh looked down at their hands, struggling with her emotions. She gnawed at her lower lip. "I'm sorry. I was pushing you too hard. I guess I conveniently forgot that we're friends first. It's just...well...I guess I want my Eric back so badly that I took it too far. I miss you so much and it's not just at work. Eric, I-"

He put a finger over her lips to quiet her before she upset herself further. Eric was amazed to find that he could read her so much more clearly now than he ever could. Maybe it was the fact that he had to slow down, himself, and really focus so that he could take the time to read the people around him. "I want your help, C-calleigh; just not today. Did you bring the latest Forensics Today w-with you?"

She blinked. _What just happened?_ "Yeah, it's in my purse. Why?"

Eric stood, offering her a hand up. "Because I w-want you to read it to m-me. I can understand better if I h-hear it."

"Alright, but it's got a major portion of it dedicated to man-powered bullets. I don't know exactly how exciting you'll find that," She said, retrieving the journal.

Eric settled himself back into his bed. He thought carefully about how he wanted to say the next bit and then prayed that it would come out well. "It'll be interesting b-because it's something th-that e-e-excites you, Bullet Girl."

She flicked her gaze up at him and took in the seriousness of his words, but also the humor in his eyes. _He was teasing her and it felt wonderful. _"Alright, then, Diverman." And then she began to read.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's note: This one is for our angst queen. Angsty enough for you? **_

_**The Relapse**_

"Where's my sister?" Eric asked, eyes half open after his afternoon nap. His physical therapy had gone well, but had worn him out. As soon as he regained enough strength in his leg, they'd release him. "Why hasn't M-Mari come by?"

Calleigh's heart skipped a beat. "You don't remember?"

Eric was confused. He'd been in the hospital at least a week and still Marisol hadn't stopped by to see him. Did he tick her off so badly that she was still too angry to visit him? He knew there was a reason

that she hadn't shown up yet. Horatio had told him, but he couldn't remember what it was again. "No, Cal; I don't. P-Please tell me. You've n-never lied to me and I need to know."

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to say. "Eric, Marisol was killed last spring by the Mala Noche. It was a single shot to the abdomen. I'm so sorry."

Eric squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden rush of grief. "No."

Calleigh rubbed his shoulder trying to offer comfort. "It happened."

"You're lying!" He flung the accusation at her as tears slipped from his eyes. His sister...his Mari...she couldn't be dead, he'd have remembered that. Surely he would have remembered something so important.

"I'm not. I wish to God I were Eric, because the last thing in the world I want to do is to cause you pain." Calleigh fought with the tears welling in her own eyes seeing his grief so fresh and raw. She reached out further, trying to soothe him, comfort him. She sat on the bed and tried to wipe the tears from his cheeks.

Eric bat her gentle hands away and turned his back to her. "Leave me alone."

"Eric?"

"Go away and leave me a-alone." His voice was misery personified.

She fought to keep her voice steady as she rose from the bed and backed toward the door. Tears were welling in her eyes and threatening to spill down her cheeks at any second. "I'll be back to check on you later."

The only answer she received was a choked sob as all the pain of the tragic loss of his elder sister flooded through him for the third time in one year. She backed out the door and leaned against the wall for support. Unable to hold back her own tears any longer, she put her face in her hands and sobbed. She hadn't wanted to tell him but she had known that he would only persist and agitate himself into a frenzy if she didn't. It was a lose-lose situation no matter how you looked at it.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Alexx asked, drawing Calleigh into an embrace.

"It's Eric. He forgot about Marisol and I had to tell him again. It's worse than when she died. At least then he had Riaz to focus on but now he has nothing. I'm afraid I set him back, Alexx. He won't accept any comfort from me and just threw me out of his room. I don't know what to do. I'm terrible at this stuff. What do I do? How can I help?" Calleigh poured out in between sobs.

"First of all honey, is that you take care of you. I know you well enough to know that you came here straight from the Lab and that you haven't had any dinner yet. Go get something to eat and then go home and rest." Alexx advised gently.

"I'm not hungry and I won't be able to sleep knowing how Eric is right now. I'll just sit up all night and worry," Calleigh protested. She extricated herself from Alexx's embrace and wiped her eyes.

Alexx eyed her stubborn friend. She knew arguing with her would get her nowhere, but she was worried. Calleigh wasn't given to tears and this was the second time in a week that she'd broken down. She wanted to know what was going on underneath, but knew that Calleigh would talk only when she was ready. "Alright, let's compromise. You go out and get something to eat, go home and change into something more comfortable and come back. I'll stay with Eric the whole time you're gone. I was coming to visit him anyway."

"Alexx-"

"Nothing doing. You need to see to your needs if you intend on helping Eric. If you keep this up baby, you're going to worry yourself sick; literally. Do as I say and trust me." Alexx said in her sternest voice.

"Alright you win. I'll be back in a while. See if you can-"

"Calleigh."

She nodded in defeat. "Okay."

Alexx watched her walk away, get on the elevator and go. She knew Calleigh would probably go to the cafeteria and find some tasteless bland thing and then drive home, rush into the house, change clothes and be back in about an hour if there was traffic, in less time if there wasn't.

Alexx shook her head, wondering over the bond that Eric and Calleigh shared. She remembered having to talk Eric down after Horatio had alerted the team that something had happened to Calleigh on the way back from a crime scene. He had been talking to her on her cell and said there was a loud bang and then the phone went dead. Eric had been processing the triple on the causeway when she got there.

"_Hey, Eric, what do we have here?" Alexx asked casually as she knelt down beside the closest vic._

"_It looks like road rage. He's got a shot to the chest and another to the temple. It seems pretty straight forward but we're gonna be here a while and it's gonna screw up evening traffic if we don't release the scene before three," Eric said as his cell went off. "Delko...yeah I'm at the causeway and-...where is she?...right H, I'll be there as fast as I can."_

_Alexx had looked up at the abrupt change in Eric's tone. He looked like he was going to jump out of his own skin. "Eric, what's wrong?"_

"_That was H. He was talking to Calleigh on her way back from that jumper scene and suddenly the phone went dead. He said it sounded like she might have been hit or shot at. He also thought he heard a splash. He's been trying to raise her, but he can't. Coop is using her GPS signal to track her," Eric said, gathering his kit._

"_She said she was taking the back roads because of this causeway. The main one that she would use runs right next to the canal," she replied, thinking. She took a good look at Eric as he was packing his things. There was an almost imperceptible tremor to his hands as if he were terrified but didn't want it to show._

"_Her Hummer could have gone in," Eric breathed. "I know I could make it up but Calleigh isn't as an experienced swimmer. What if she's too injured to get out or unconscious? Alexx, Calleigh could die if-"_

"_Eric, that's not going to happen. Calleigh is a smart woman and will get herself out of whatever situation she's in. Even if she sustained injuries, she knows what to do," Alexx said soothingly even though she had the same doubts herself. She had the urge to drop everything and follow Eric to wherever he needed to go to find Calleigh. She was NOT going to lose her baby girl. "She'll be fine; you'll see."_

_Eric stood, hefting his kit. "I hope you're right Alexx, because I don't think I can stand another loss of someone so important to me so soon after Mari."_

_Alexx watched him leave as another departmental Hummer rolled up and two other CSI's got out. "No, I don't believe you can, baby."_

Alexx pushed open the door and stepped inside. Eric had his face buried in the pillow and his body shook as he vented his grief. She quietly walked to his bedside and sat next to him. She reached out and rubbed his back.

"I thought I told you to l-leave me alone."

"You didn't tell me that honey," Alexx said softly. When he rolled over to face her she asked, "Now why are you so angry at Calleigh? You know the last thing she'd ever want to do is hurt you."

"Sh-sh-she said-" Eric stuttered miserably.

"I know what she said and it's the truth and it ripped her heart out to watch you go through the grief again," Alexx told him frankly. "I don't know what hurt her more; watching you grieve again or your refusal to accept her comfort. Eric, honey, I know you've been through a lot in the last week, but you need to accept that there are some memories that you lost. The fact that you forgot that Marisol was killed, even though Horatio told you a couple of days ago means that that was such a painful memory that your brain didn't want to remember it. And in your fresh grief and anger you lashed out at the messenger and that happened to be Calleigh. Isn't that what happened?"

Eric lay silent for a long time, thinking over what Alexx said. He realised that she was right. He was in so much pain and so angry that he lashed out at Calleigh and he probably hurt her in the process. "Where is she?"

Alexx watched the change wash over Eric as he thought about what had happened. "I sent her out for some dinner and to calm down. Eric, when I came up here she was outside your door and for the second time in seven days, in tears. I want you to think about that because the Calleigh you and I both know does not cry unless the circumstances are overwhelming. She'll be back in a little while and when she does come back I think you two need to have a little talk. You got me?"

Eric nodded, the revelation about Calleigh's feelings and behavior becoming a point of concern in his mind. "I'll try but you know, if Calleigh d-doesn't want to talk, she won't."

"I know, baby, but you try anyway."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Memories**_

_**Calleigh**_

Calleigh had done exactly as Alexx told her to do. Instead of going out or even hitting a drive-through on the way home, she had gone to the hospital cafeteria and had gotten things that anyone might have considered comfort food, only, it wasn't comforting at all. The chicken noodle soup, while brimming with noodles, was greasy and far too salty and the egg salad sandwich was pathetic, the lettuce limp and the egg salad tasteless and pasty; even the bread was dry and hard. She choked it all down anyway, accompanied by the worst cup of coffee she'd ever had. Fast food would probably have been a better idea. At least it would have tasted better.

Once through with her less than stellar meal, she drove home by the fastest route she knew, even if it did bring her down that same back road and past that same spot that nearly claimed her life a few months back. She couldn't suppress a shudder as she drove past that exact spot. The memory of that day was burned forever in her memory as one of the most frightening moments in her life, but also one of the best. It had all started out so perfectly normal.

_Calleigh exited the tall building, evidence box in hand and approached the M.E. She had spent the last several hours collecting evidence in the dead man's apartment._

"_Hey Alexx, did you get anything on the jumper?" she asked._

"_Wasn't a jumper, Calleigh. He was shot. Got an entrance wound but no exit." Alexx replied as they began walking back to their respective vehicles._

_Calleigh frowned in confusion. "That doesn't make any sense. There were no signs of struggle in his apartment."_

"_Did the landlord say if he was a visitor or a renter?" Alexx asked, now becoming puzzled, herself._

_Calleigh shrugged."He's a renter; his name is Billy Gault."_

_Alexx opened the door to the M.E.'s van and got in."Billy boy upset somebody."_

_Calleigh opened the rear hatch of the Hummer, placing the evidence box inside."If you get anything on firearms, will you call me?"_

"_Oh, you'll have to take a number, sweetheart. I have another stop; triple on the causeway."_

_She shut the hatch."Three on the causeway? Looks like I'm taking the back road."_

_Air conditioning humming nicely, beating back the heat and humidity of south Florida, Calleigh drove over the bumpy back road, overgrown fields to her left and the greeny-blue canal to the right. She held the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she drove down the center of the wide canal access road. _

"_The jumper on on 38__th__ Street is a 782 4 GSW," Calleigh reported, then listened to Horatio's reply._

"_Yeah. I collected some evidence from the street and the vic's apartment. I think I can get us a shooter." she said proudly, knowing the evidence was good. She listened further before replying, "Alright, I'll see you in twenty."_

_And that's when everything went crazy. She hadn't even hung up the phone before there was a loud bang as she was hit from behind on the driver's side. The large Hummer swerved dangerously and she dropped the phone to try and control the behemoth vehicle. She could feel the other vehicle still pushing her, fighting her attempt at regaining control. Suddenly the pushing stopped and Calleigh fought to halt the skid of the wheels in the damp ground. She almost had it until she hit a hole in the road and the Hummer jerked violently, plunging head-first into the canal. There was nothing she could do to stop it as she, the evidence and the Hummer sank deeper into the water._

_Her head hurt from where she had banged it on the steering wheel, but otherwise she was alright. She looked around in the murky light, seeing her fears being realized. There was water seeping in the Hummer. She tried the automatic window releases but they wouldn't move. A sharp, sickening sound to her right made her look over to see the passenger window crack in a spiderweb pattern under the pressure of the canal water. It was going to implode. __She fought to steady her breathing and to slow the frantic beating of her terrified heart. She had to think calmly and rationally or she was living the final moments of her life. _

_Calleigh glanced back at all of the evidence she'd recovered and saw that it was all already compromised as the water had seeped into the packaging, making it all useless. Another crack and the passenger side window gave in a little more. __CRACK! From in front of her; the windshield beginning to give way, water now pouring in faster. She had to get out of there or she was going to die._

_She thought frantically for any plan of escape that didn't end with her waterlogged corpse floating to the surface, or worse, Eric having to dive for her lifeless body and recover it still trapped in the Hummer. Eric...A ray of hope appeared and she remembered the screwdriver in the armrest. He had insisted in putting one in every Hummer for emergencies. Well, this was an emergency. Maybe she could make a controlled shatter with it and get out that way. It couldn't be too bad, but she had to make sure she had enough air in her lungs just in case things went south and it would take her longer to get out. She unbuckled her seat belt. One breath...in and out...keep calm...kick off the shoes...second breath ...in and break the window. _

_She was slammed to the opposite side of the Hummer by the force of the water rushing in. She fought with the pressure on her chest to exhale. The rush calmed and she was able to right herself and looked around, lungs already burning. There was a pocket of air left toward the roof of the Hummer and she headed for it, gratefully releasing her held breath and greedily taking another. Back under the water, she swam out the empty window and frantically kicked her way to the surface, exploding out of the water, eyes stinging and lungs burning, but alive and well. Suppressing a sob, she headed for the not too distant shore._

_She didn't know how long she sat on the shore, counting her heartbeats. She knew she was in a mild state of shock, she was cold and her head still hurt a little, but it was all in a fuzzy haze as her mind struggled to process what had happened. _

_It was no surprise to her that Horatio had been the first to arrive, mere seconds ahead of Rescue. He first and foremost, made certain that she was physically unharmed and then gently questioned her on what had happened. She had struggled trying to remember something, anything for them to go on, but she honestly couldn't remember. It had been frustrating. She had been trained to notice everything and here all she could remember is that the vehicle that hit her might have been black. Then Eric arrived and came over to check on her. His voice had been casual, but the deep concern in his eyes told another story altogether._

"_Calleigh, you're okay?" he asked, concern and worry flooding his dark chocolate eyes._

_She gave him a fleeting smile to try and ease his worry. "Yeah, I'm okay."_

"_Somebody doesn't want your evidence to see the light of day. Can you think of anything, something for us to go on?" he asked, a business-like tone to his voice, yet still gentle and concerned._

_She tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear and tugged the blanket Rescue had draped around her a little closer. "The car was black. Maybe...I don't know."_

"_No worries, ma'am," Horatio said, signaling that the questioning was over and that Calleigh needed to take care of Calleigh and not to worry about the investigation. _

_As Horatio called Eric over for a private conference, Calleigh felt Eric give her a gentle pat, almost as if he had to touch her to make sure she really was alright. _

_Stubborn as she was, even though she was sent home, and in retrospect, should have actually listened and stayed there, she returned to work and aided in solving the investigation anyway. Once the adrenaline rush of solving a case wore off, she realized just how much the days activities had affected her. She sat behind the wheel of her car, shaking, unable to to drive. The key was in the ignition and the car was running, but she couldn't make herself pull out of her parking space. That's how Eric found her._

"_Hey, Cal, you gonna sit there all night?" he teased as he came up beside her window. She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Are you alright?"_

_She couldn't answer him, she couldn't stop her hands from shaking and she definitely could not drive. She shook her head ever so slightly._

"_Okay, turn off the engine and come on out here," he said softly, glancing around to see if anyone was near. The garage was empty. When she didn't move, he opened her door, reached in and turned off the car. He undid her seat belt and helped her out. "It just caught up to you, didn't it?"_

_She nodded and he put his arm around her. "C'mon, I'll drive you home."_

_Leaning her head on his shoulder, she allowed him to lead her away from her car to his own. They drove to her place in silence. Calleigh couldn't have spoken anyway; she was still in shock, or rather, the shock had returned. She found herself counting her heartbeats again and didn't hear Eric call her name._

"_Calleigh?" Eric asked for the second time. When she didn't respond, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped. "I said that we were here. Why don't we go inside?"_

_Numbly she nodded and got out of the car, accepting Eric's arm around her once again as he accompanied her to her door. She took out her keys, but her hands were still shaking so badly that Eric had to guide them to the lock and help her unlock the door. He followed her inside, shutting the door behind them. He guided her to the couch and they both sat down._

"_You gonna talk or do I have to do a monologue?" he asked with a teasing air._

_She looked at him, directly into his eyes. She made the smallest of sounds, trying to put into words what was going on inside her. It wasn't working. She just suddenly didn't seem to possess the vocabulary needed to explain how she felt. She gave him a pleading look, begging him to start for her._

"_You're freaked out. You were nearly killed today and that kind of thing has never happened to you before and you're having a hard time dealing with it. How am I doing so far?" Eric asked._

_Calleigh nodded, her eyes suddenly blurry._

"_Everything was fine while you were keeping yourself engaged at work, but now that that's over for the day, everything that you've pushed into the back of your mind is suddenly right in your face and you have no idea how to deal with it...and...there you go." Eric said, gathering her into his arms as she broke down. He held her, rocking her until she finally calmed._

"_Thank you," she whispered into his chest. She closed her eyes and let out a slow sigh of relief, keeping her head resting right where it was._

_Eric stroked her hair, laying his cheek on the top of her head. "Do you feel better now?"_

"_Much."_

"_Calleigh, since you had a really close call today I think we need to do something life affirming," Eric said._

_She pulled away from him, eying him suspiciously. "What exactly do you have in mind?"_

_He grinned at her. "Something fun and silly and completely childish. You'll love it."_

"_Eric, I don't know."_

_He grabbed her hand. "C'mon, you'll love it. Just grab your purse and come with me." He gave her no choice as he dragged her out the door and back into the car._

"_Where are you taking me?" she asked._

"_You'll see."_

_They drove for a good twenty minutes until they pulled up to a carnival parking lot. "Silly and fun and completely childish. What do you think?"_

Calleigh's face lit like the sun. "Let's do it."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Memories**_

_**Eric**_

Eric waited until the door closed behind Alexx before speaking to himself. It often helped him think more clearly since his shooting to do so. "I'm an idiot. I've hurt someone I love so much it hurts and I'm an idiot." When exactly did the realization hit him? He thought hard, feeling a bit like Winnie the Pooh with his head all stuffed with fluff. Then is suddenly dawned on him. He knew exactly when he knew he loved her more than he had loved anyone else.

_Eric cut the connection on his cell and put it in his back pocket and began to pack his kit with hands that shook far too violently for his taste. He shook them out and forced them into as much stillness as he could._

"_Eric, what's wrong?"_

"_That was H. He was talking to Calleigh on her way back from that jumper scene and suddenly the phone went dead. He said it sounded like she might have been hit or shot at. He also thought he heard a splash. He's been trying to raise her, but he can't. Coop is using her GPS signal to track her," Eric said, gathering his kit._

"_She said she was taking the back roads because of this causeway. The main one that she would use runs right next to the canal," she replied. _

"_Her Hummer could have gone in," Eric breathed, his heart pounding in fear for her safety. He couldn't lose Calleigh, his Calleigh, always so full of vitality and bringing sunshine to every corner of the Lab and his life. He couldn't ever remember being quite this scared before. "I know I could make it up but Calleigh isn't as an experienced swimmer. What if she's too injured to get out or unconscious? Alexx, Calleigh could die if-"_

"_Eric, that's not going to happen. Calleigh is a smart woman and will get herself out of whatever situation she's in. Even if she sustained injuries, she knows what to do," Alexx said soothingly."She'll be fine; you'll see."_

_Eric stood, hefting his kit, the knot in his stomach making it hard to breathe. "I hope you're right Alexx, because I don't think I can stand another loss of someone so important to me so soon after Mari."_

_He drove at nearly breakneck speed to where Horatio had told him was Calleigh's last GPS location, a sick, horrible feeling his only partner on the drive. All he could think, pray, was that she couldn't be dead. He'd take injured because at least she would still be alive._

_As he neared, he could see the flashing lights and bright yellow ambulance of Rescue. He hit the brakes hard, causing the Hummer to skid slightly on the soft ground. He virtually leapt out of the vehicle and jogged to where he could see Horatio's bright red hair, his heart slamming in his chest. Then he caught it; the flash of gold above the gray of the Rescue blanket. His chest loosened and a sense of relief so profound that it made him stop in his tracks washed over him, making him feel almost light-headed. Regaining some appearance of composure, he walked calmly up to them, the joy of Calleigh being alive dimmed only by the concern that she could be hurt. Her head was in her hand when he walked up to them. _

"_I'm an unreliable witness," she said with a rueful laugh._

"_No worries," Horatio said._

"_Calleigh, you're okay?" he asked, concern and worry flooding his dark chocolate eyes._

_She gave him a fleeting smile. "Yeah, I'm okay."_

"_Somebody doesn't want your evidence to see the light of day. Can you think of anything, something for us to go on?" he asked, a business-like tone to his voice, yet still gentle and concerned. She was alright and he could have jumped for joy. _

_She tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear and tugged the blanket Rescue had draped around her a little closer. "The car was black. Maybe...I don't know."_

"_No worries, ma'am," Horatio said, signaling that the questioning was over and that Calleigh needed to take care of Calleigh and not to worry about the investigation. _

_As Horatio called him over for a private conference, Eric couldn't help but give Calleigh a little pat to try and convey to her just how relieved he was that she was alright. What he really wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and hold onto her and never let her go. Instead, he listened to Horatio's instructions and turned to do his job as Horatio escorted Calleigh into his Hummer to take her home._

_Eric had found part of the grill of the vehicle that ran her off the road and she had been right; it was black. He couldn't wait to call her and tell her what he found just to ease her mind. Later, he returned to the Lab only to discover that his stubborn Calleigh had indeed gone home, cleaned up and returned to work. He had rolled his eyes over the knowledge, but said nothing until he found her shaking behind the wheel of her car. He had a feeling that something was wrong, but kept his voice light, teasing._

"_Hey, Cal, you gonna sit there all night?" he teased as he came up beside her window. She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Are you alright?"_

_She didn't answer him and he could see that her hands were shaking, in fact, her whole body was shaking hard enough that he knew she couldn't drive. She shook her head ever so slightly._

"_Okay, turn off the engine and come on out here," he said softly, glancing around to see if anyone was near. The garage was empty. There was no way he want to embarrass her. Eric knew how highly she prided herself on appearing tough. When she didn't move, he opened her door, reached in and turned off the car. He undid her seat belt and helped her out. She trembled violently against him. "It just caught up to you, didn't it?"_

_She nodded and he put his arm around her. "C'mon, I'll drive you home."_

_Leaning her head on his shoulder, she allowed him to lead her away from her car to his own. They drove to her place in silence. Eric didn't try to get her to talk because he could see that she wasn't up to answering any questions just then. In fact, she seemed to be returning to a state of shock. He didn't blame her. She had nearly died that morning and if it had been him, he'd probably be feeling the same way._

_Eric pulled into her driveway. "Calleigh, we're here." There was no response and he frowned._

"_Calleigh?" Eric asked for the second time. When she didn't respond, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped. "I said that we were here. Why don't we go inside?"_

_She nodded, apparently still in shock, or perhaps falling in deeper, and got out of the car, accepting Eric's arm around her once again as he accompanied her to her door. She took out her keys, but her hands were still shaking so badly that Eric had to guide them to the lock and help her unlock the door. He followed her inside, shutting the door behind them. He guided her to the couch and they both sat down._

"_You gonna talk or do I have to do a monologue?" he asked with a teasing air. He knew that if he didn't play it carefully, she'd shut down on him completely._

_She looked at him, directly into his eyes. She made the smallest of sounds, but seemed unable to speak. She gave him a pleading look, begging him to start for her._

"_You're freaked out. You were nearly killed today and that kind of thing has never happened to you before and you're having a hard time dealing with it. How am I doing so far?" Eric asked._

_Calleigh nodded. Eric could see the tears standing in her eyes and was actually surprised by it. Calleigh didn't cry. The last time he had seen her do so was when Speed died._

"_Everything was fine while you were keeping yourself engaged at work, but now that that's over for the day, everything that you've pushed into the back of your mind is suddenly right in your face and you have no idea how to deal with it...and...there you go." Eric said, gathering her into his arms as she broke down. He held her, rocking her until she finally calmed. _

_His heart hurt for her and hearing her raw sobs made his own fear of losing her seem far sharper. He wanted to tell her how scared he had been; how much she meant to him; how much he loved her. That's when he realised it. He, Eric Delko, had somehow, some time fallen in love with his partner and best friend. It should have freaked him out, but it didn't; it felt too natural. But he stayed silent, in fear of losing her, their friendship. Right then was not the time to declare his love for her, but to help her over the shock and trauma she had just been through._

"_Thank you," she whispered into his chest. She closed her eyes and let out a slow sigh of relief, keeping her head resting right where it was._

_Eric stroked her hair, luxurating in the soft, silky feel of it, laying his cheek on the top of her head. "Do you feel better now?"_

"_Much."_

_He needed to make her feel better, less scared. "Calleigh, since you had a really close call today I think we need to do something life affirming," Eric said._

_She pulled away from him, eying him suspiciously. "What exactly do you have in mind?"_

_He grinned at her, an idea dawning. "Something fun and silly and completely childish. You'll love it."_

"_Eric, I don't know."_

_He grabbed her hand. "C'mon, you'll love it. Just grab your purse and come with me." He gave her no choice as he dragged her out the door and back into the car._

"_Where are you taking me?" she asked._

"_You'll see."_

_They drove for a good twenty minutes until they pulled up to a carnival parking lot. "Silly and fun and completely childish. What do you think?"_

Calleigh's face lit like the sun. "Let's do it."


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: Sorry this update took so long. First of all, I wanted it to be just so and secondly, it's hard to write when you're trying to teach. So, since I'm snowbound today (gotta love the Midwest) I thought I'd finish the chapter and send it out. Hope you like it. Oh, and the little singing thing...I haven't finished it yet, but when I do, I'll post it. It's not happy.

Thanks to everyone reviewing and writing all those comments. I really appreciate it.

Snowbound...almost makes me want to take E/C up to the Midwest right around now. 14 inches of snow in my courtyard makes me cranky and wanting to share the pain. What better to do two our two native Southerners...

_**I'm Sorry**_

Calleigh pushed Eric's door open and stuck her head inside. He was laying on his side, back facing the door. She swallowed hard, knowing that she could easily be rebuffed and refused entrance. _Was he still that angry? _"May I come in?" she asked politely.

Eric rolled over. "Yeah, come on in."

She stepped inside, but barely, not daring any further intrusion into his expanded personal space. "Eric, I'm-"

"Come h-here, please." he instructed, raising the bed into a sitting position. He pat the mattress next to him, silently inviting her to come well within his space.

She complied, unwilling to offer any further insult, hurt. She felt terrible. Her simple reminder of his beloved sister's demise weighed heavily on her. That she caused him uncountable pain in having to remind him of it scored her heart. It lay bleeding and raw inside her. She dare not show him that. He had enough to deal with.

"What?" she breathed.

"Calleigh, I'm s-sorry. I know th-that you were only trying t-to help. I was angry a-and I took it ou-out on you. I d-don't blame you. It's n-not your f-fault." Eric said slowly, yet truthfully. Alexx's talk had served to make him very sensitive to Calleigh's feelings. He needed to make amends. He looked into her eyes and then looked away quickly. The pain he saw was almost too much. It was pain that he had caused. He vowed never to make her hurt like that again. "M-m-mari died and I forgot. A-a-alexx said that it might have been a m-memory too p-p-p-painful and my brain was trying t-to forget it."

Calleigh's throat was almost too constricted to reply, "Yeah, she said the same to me. Eric-"

"I know you d-didn't want to hurt m-me," Eric said, patting the bed next to him, indicating that he wanted her to come even closer. He needed to touch her, convey that his anger was fleeting and wrong to be directed at her. He had been hurting and just lashed out. "I-I know you were trying to be k-kind and gentle and th-that it was one of th-the last things you ever wanted to t-tell me. I g-got angry and I hurt y-you. I'm s-sorry."

Calleigh came closer and sat on his bed, facing him. "I didn't want to hurt you and I knew that telling you would. I tried to think of some other way to tell you, but I just couldn't. I know you wouldn't have thanked me for anything other than the absolute truth, no matter how painful it was. I'm just sorry that it brought back all the pain and misery you felt the first time. I really am sorry that you lost your sister. I can't even begin to know how that feels. I've never lost anyone that close to me."

"What about Speed?"

"That's different."

"How?"

Calleigh fought for the right words. "He was my brother, yes; in everything but DNA. I loved him very much. His was my utterly sloppy, completely slacker, excruciatingly brilliant big brother, Tim meant the world to me. Megan left the final training and ultimate hazing of me almost exclusively to Tim. He delivered in spades."

"Head trauma."

"Yeah. And he was absolutely enough of a friend and gentleman to clean up the mess I left behind," Calleigh said with a wistful smile and soft, sad laugh. She missed Tim. Some days more than others, but she missed him. _If the idiot only had cleaned his gun on a regular basis..._"He never made me feel weak for what I did, but instead told me that we all had to go through that period of adjustment to the gruesome things that we had to process every day. He appreciated my abilities and intellect. I drove him nuts sometimes, but I know he wouldn't have had me any other way. He trained me and I am entirely his fault. If I drove him nuts, well, he just had to live with the investigator he awoke inside of me. His death was the most difficult thing I had ever have to go through."

"Calleigh," Eric began. He remembered the pain of Speed's funeral and the surprising part that Calleigh played in it. In some ways, it made it worse, but in some it made it better. Her voice had been so full of pain, yet entirely soothing. "How you found the strength to sing-"

"It wasn't my idea, remember?" Calleigh said. "Tim's mom asked because of an email he sent her. He went on and on about catching me singing in the Lab one early Sunday morning when I thought no one was around. I couldn't say no to a last request. I couldn't break her heart any more than it was already and I certainly didn't need Speedle haunting me forever. So, I sang. I never want to do that again; it's just too hard."

"Y-you have a b-beautiful voice."

Calleigh blushed at the compliment. "Thank you."

Eric took her hands in his and gently held them. "You should s-sing more."

Her blush deepened, coloring her cheeks bright red. "I do; all the time, just not where anyone can hear me. That way when I hit a sour note, I can't be embarrassed. I am not now nor ever wish to be known as the Singing CSI."

Eric laughed at her terminology, tugging on her hands so that she got the hint and sat next to him, leaning back on his pillows. "D-did I just e-embarrass you?"

"Sort of, not really. You've heard me." Calleigh sat silent for a long while before asking, "So we're good about today?"

Eric scooted down, laying his head on her shoulder. "Mmm-hmn. W-we are. I know you didn't r-remind me about Mari to hurt me; you w-wouldn't do that. I'm s-sorry that I hurt your feelings by throwing you ow-out. Alexx said you were v-very upset. I-I don't want y-you to get mad at h-her, but she s-said that y-you were c-crying. Y-you don't cry. Why today?"

Calleigh swallowed hard past the lump that suddenly grew in her throat. "I, uhm, couldn't stand knowing that I hurt you. Seeing you so upset upset me."

"Second time in a w-week."

"Eric, you died on the table and it took them nearly fifteen minutes to revive you. Don't you think your possible death was worth a few tears?" Calleigh exclaimed. "Dear God, Eric, I almost lost you and...and-"

Eric shifted, his arms encircling her, holding onto her. He could feel her fighting with her emotions, trying to keep tears at bay. "It's ok. I-I just wanted to know. If it was you, I'd cry, too." He kissed the top of her head. She was never more precious to him than at that moment. Was it possible that she felt the same depth of feeling for him as he did for her? Time would tell.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Like Old Times**_

Eric sniffed and swore he could smell pizza. But that was entirely impossible because that was no where on the dinner menu. He had ordered the roast turkey, which should have showed up a half an hour ago. Was the bullet giving him olfactory hallucinations now? He sniffed again. Pizza; it was definitely pizza with onions, mushrooms and sausage. His mouth started to water and his stomach rumbled. Throwing back the covers, he started to get out of bed to investigate when his door opened and a familiar blonde head peeked in.

"Hey, Eric, feeling like having a little company?" Calleigh asked.

He grinned at her. "Sure. Listen, Cal, d-do you smell pizza?"

She returned his grin and opened the door fully, revealing a hot/cold insulator bag balanced on the palm of her hand. "You mean like diVita's sausage, onion and mushroom? Yeah, I smell it and I'm starving. How about you?"

Eric laughed and walked slowly to her. He still limped slightly as his stitches pulled, but it was a far cry from just the beginning of the week. "Let me h-help you with that. How did you get them to l-let you in here with pizza?"

"I can be very persuasive when I want to be. You would not believe the bribery I had to dole out just to get this in here. Your doctor is stopping by for a piece, by the way, and the nurses have their own pizza," she said, pulling the tray table over. She unhooked the grocery bag from her wrist and took out a couple of liters of soft drinks. "Sorry, no beer until you're off your meds. I did get you root beer, though. And, what's pizza without movies?"

"It's Friday," Eric said like it was the most important thing in the world.

Calleigh grinned at him. "It's Friday. Talking about Tim earlier this week made me think about how the three of us would get together on Friday nights and have pizza and watch movies. We stopped doing that after Tim was killed. I thought it might be nice to start up again. What do you think?"

Eric was silent for a moment, remembering all the fun they had back then. He missed Speed and it seemed like a very good idea to him to start pizza and movie night up again. It had seemed like a lifetime since he and Calleigh had laughed over a movie together. He missed her laughter. She rarely laughed anymore. "Yeah, I think we should. Now can we get this box open before I s-starve to death?"

Calleigh chuckled and opened the box, the pizza still steaming hot. "What do you want to watch? Action adventure, comedy or horror?"

"You pick," Eric said around a mouthful of pizza. The cheese was hot and it burned his tongue and lips, but he didn't care. It was like heaven.

"How about a classic; Indiana Jones?" she asked, reveling in the joy shining in his eyes. He had been through so much pain and heartache in the last several months that he had lost a lot of that boyish exuberance that she first fell in love with years ago. If she could give just a little bit of that back to him...well, bribing the hospital staff was more than worth it.

He nodded, mouth too full to speak. Calleigh laughed and turned on the movie, picking up her piece of pizza and chewing thoughtfully on it. She loved him, of that she was certain. But she felt she was no where near his type. She was too serious and far too short. His type always seemed to be tall, willowy and fashion model-like. She was short, athletic and intellectual. She sighed softly, realizing that she'd rather keep silent about her feelings and keep him as a friend than say something and screw up their friendship forever. She settled in next to him and concentrated on the movie.

Eric kept stealing glances at her during the movie. There were plenty of things that he couldn't remember, but there were far more that he could. He remembered the first time that he saw Calleigh. It was his first day as a CSI and Horatio was giving him a tour of the Lab. They were heading into Firearms when a high-pitched and very excited "YES!" exploded out to them followed by Calleigh barreling out the door and straight into his chest. He steadied her and fell immediately in love with her. How could he not? She was stunningly beautiful and, as he found out later, blindingly intelligent. He learned that she was warm and friendly and funny. She could be tough as nails with a suspect one moment and be kind and gentle with a victim the next and every day he fell more hopelessly in love with her. Why he never tried to ask her out, he never quite knew. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to screw up an amazing and precious friendship. All he knew is that he wanted her in his life for the rest of it and couldn't bear it if she turned him down.

He couldn't help himself. Eric reached over and put his arm around her and was entirely surprised by her resting her head on his chest. That's when he realized how tired she must be. After all, she was H's second in command and ran the Lab in his absence. Since he had been shot, the whole team had to be working extra hard, being a CSI short. He knew Calleigh well enough to know that she had taken the largest chunk of the burden upon herself, not to mention visiting him for several hours every night.

When the movie was over, he nudged her gently. "Go on home, Cal; you're exhausted," he said softly.

She sat up. "Yeah, I guess I am. What are we going to do with the extra pizza?"

"Leave it at the nurses' station. They'll find a h-home for it," Taking a chance, he quickly pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"What was that for?" she asked. Her forehead tingled where he kissed it.

Eric released her completely before he followed another, far more dangerous impulse on where to put another kiss. "For everything; b-being here. Now go on home."

Puzzled, Calleigh rose off the bed. That simple kiss awoke all sorts of feelings again and she didn't think she'd sleep much thinking about them. "Right. I'll see you tomorrow, then. They're going to try putting you in the pool, right?"

"Yeah, around 11, I think. Hydrotherapy. G'n-night, Cal."

She stopped at the door and turned back around. "Good night, Eric."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Home**_

The sounds of street vendors and snatches of Latin music delighted his ears and the smells of cooking Cuban food made his mouth water. Eric rolled the window down further and inhaled deeply. Home; that was the smells and sounds were. He was going home. After spending nearly a month in the hospital relearning how to do even the tiniest things, Eric was grateful to be finally heading home. He leaned his head back and sighed contentedly, letting his eyes drink in the sights of Little Havana.

His eyes lit at the sight of one particular street vendor that he had known since he was a kid. "Calleigh, pull in over there," he said emphatically.

"Eric, I'm supposed to take you straight home," she protested but pulled over anyway. Eric hopped out of the car as soon as she stopped. She followed behind him, trotting to keep up with his pace. "Will you wait? Where are you going? Your mother is going to kill me if I lose you!"

Eric stopped in front of the vendor and patiently waited his turn. "Buenas Tardes Senior Morales."

The elderly vendor's lined face lit with a smile. "Buenas Tardes, Eric! Como la va? I heard you were shot."

"Bien, gracias. I was, sir. I just got out of the hospital. I was on my way home and I saw your cart..."

"And you want my empanadas, si?" Senior Morales grinned.

Eric grinned back as Calleigh finally caught up. "Si, mi mucho gusto. Dos empanadas Cubana, por favor, para mi y la misma para mi amiga."

Si. Ella muy bonita," he said, reaching into his wagon and pulling out four piping hot and crispy Cuban beef and bean empanadas. He wrapped them carefully, waving Eric's offer of money away.

Calleigh blushed at the compliment. "Gracias, senior."

He looked over at her, taking in her very much not Hispanic appearance. "Habla Espanol?"

She smiled warmly at him as Eric took the brown paper bag from him. "Si, yo soy fluida."

"Muy bien. Adios," he said, turning to the other customers that had lined up while he served Eric and Calleigh.

"Well, there's an old charmer," she said as they walked back to the car. "But next time, Eric, tell me what you're going to do so I can stop panicking."

"I didn't mean to panic you. I just-I saw Mr. Morales' cart and all I could think about was his empanadas. They're almost as good as my mom's and..." He handed her one. "I'm sorry?"

She sighed and accepted one, biting into it's crispy shell, the warm, smooth, perfectly seasoned paste of beef and bean making her eyes close in pleasure. "You're forgiven. Now let's get going before your father sends out a search party."

She drove him home and they were greeted by not only his parents, but his two sisters and their husbands as well. Not wanting to intrude on his family, Calleigh tried to leave, but his mother prevented her, insisting that she stay for dinner since she was nearly family as it was, especially after the shooting and all the good care she had given Eric.

His parents didn't stay for long, knowing that he would like to get a good night's sleep in his own bed for the first time in a long time. Calleigh, taking her cue from his parents, also gathered her things to leave.

"Where are you going?" Eric asked.

"To my home and to bed; for sleep, which is what you should be doing. You've had a busy day and you must be exhausted," she said heading for the door.

Eric reached out and grabbed her hand to stop her. "You don't have to go. I'd really like it if you stayed."

Calleigh grew concerned. It was so unlike Eric to not want to be independent. "What's this all about? Are you not feeling well? Should I call your doctor?"

Eric shook his head, realizing that he had alarmed her. "No, nothing like that. I'm just not used to being on my own and, well, I'm used to you being around in the evening. I like it. I know that I'm being completely selfish and that you don't have anything with you to change into but-"

"I'll stay," Calleigh said abruptly, cutting him off. "It's okay. I actually have a change of clothes in the car. You know, the old CSI thing...work a double shift, just shower and change and you're good as new." The truth was was that she had been doing just that for almost a month, except the second shift was with Eric at the hospital. He didn't know that and she wasn't going to tell him.

"Good, mom said that she changed the sheets on the bed this morning and-"

"You are sleeping in your own bed. I'll take the couch." Calleigh said firmly. "You just got out of the hospital and there will be no argument. Eric, you don't have to play host to me."

"I just couldn't sleep knowing you were on my lumpy old couch. Take the bed, please," Eric insisted.

"No I will not," she replied.

"Then, why...why don't we both, you know, sleep in the bed. Just sleep," Eric blurted, suddenly supremely embarrassed. _What an asinine idea. Like he'd sleep at all having her so close. Stupid bullet._

Calleigh raised an eyebrow. "Just sleep?"

"Yeah. I'll stay on my side. I promise I will," Eric said. "C'mon, it's a compromise."

"Alright, but if I feel just one of your cold feet on my warm back I'll...I'll..."

Eric grinned mischievously at her. "You'll what?"

"I don't know right now. I'll think of something." Calleigh shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. Why she was so nervous all of a sudden was a mystery to her. It's not like she hadn't stayed over before. Of course, she hadn't known that she had fallen in love with the man she was about to share a bed with before this. She had a feeling that it was going to be a very sleepless night.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's note: First of all, thanks for all the great reviews. It just keeps me coming back to write more. I'm trying to keep this as in canon as I can and, despite the writers' strike and the, what I call, "distraction" with Jake, I firmly believe that the writers will finally pair up Eric and Calleigh. **_

_**I'm running a little dry on ideas, so suggestions would be appreciated. Remember, I'm trying to keep it in canon.**_

_**Good Morning**_

Eric awoke refreshed and relaxed for the first time in a long time. He had slept more soundly than he remembered ever doing. He was home and in his own bed; nobody waking him at midnight to give him a sleeping pill to put him back to sleep. Gradually, he became aware of a soft, warm weight pressing down on his left side. Opening his eyes, he found himself looking down at a familiar blonde head resting on his chest. She was curled up halfway on top of him, snuggled in.

_How had he actually been able to fall asleep with Calleigh there?_Or maybe that was it; he_ could _sleep with Calleigh there. He tried to remember a single night in his long hospital stay when he had fallen asleep without Calleigh at his bedside. He couldn't remember a single one. She had always been there, every night until he finally could fall asleep. Just how much did she really care?

Ever-so-gently, so as not to wake her and ruin the few moments that he had with her completely unguarded before him,he ran his fingers through her silky hair, releasing a soft vanilla scent as he did so. He breathed it in deeply, reveling in it's sweetness and warmth. This moment in time was a rarity and Eric knew it. No one got as close to Calleigh as he was just then. No one saw her as relaxed, unguarded and vulnerable as she was all curled up against him. He smiled to himself; she was a cuddler.

She made a soft sound and wrinkled her nose, her hand coming up to rub at an itch and Eric knew his moment had passed. He closed his eyes and feigned sleep as she opened hers. He didn't want awkwardness to ruin everything.

Calleigh rubbed her nose a second time, coming fully awake. She was snuggled up against something warm and soft and comforting. She stretched her left arm out and around this soft, warm, comforting thing. That's when she remembered where she was and in whose bed she'd slept. Her eyes shot open and to her relief, found Eric's closed. She let herself drink in his sleeping face, peaceful and almost boyish in relaxation. Unable to stop herself, she ran a gentle hand down his morning rough beard, trailing a light finger over his lips before settling her hand back on his chest, feeling the soft rise and fall beneath her palm. She laid her head back down.

It was a miracle to her that she had been able to fall asleep sharing a bed with him. But, as she thought about it, it really was no mystery. She knew on the day that he had been shot that she'd never be able to sleep without seeing with her own eyes that he'd be alright and even on that first night just knowing wasn't enough. She had slept all night with her head on his chest, her only reassurance had been his steady breathing and gentle beat of his heart. Every night after that, she visited him, staying until he fell asleep, more nights than not, she fell asleep as well, only to be woken by the morning shift as they checked in. She'd run home for a quick shower and a refresher before heading back into the Lab. It had been exhausting, but it would have been worse if she hadn't done it.

Reluctantly, she rolled away from him onto her side of the bed before getting up. She left the bed slowly and gently so as not to wake him and padded out into the kitchen to start some coffee and make them both a little breakfast.

Hearing his door quietly snick shut, Eric opened his eyes and stretched, a smile on his lips, secure in the knowledge that if what he had just felt from her was any accurate indication, she had feelings for him as much as he had feelings for her. Now began the delicate ballet that they were going to have to dance if they didn't want to ruin their friendship as well as any possible romantic relationship between them. If he knew Calleigh as well as he thought he did, it was going to take a while and she was most likely going to have to be the one that made the first move and it would only be when she was absolutely ready.

"Time to put on my dancing shoes," Eric chuckled to himself as he threw back the covers and got out of bed. He crossed the room and made his way down the hall to the kitchen. Calleigh had turned on one of the numerous country music stations in Miami and was busy scrambling eggs. The smell of frying chorizo spiced the air. He stood there and watched her in her domestic display and thought that he could get very used to it. Rest of his life used to it.

"Good morning," he said quietly, not wanting to startle her.

She half-turned toward him, most of her attention on keeping the eggs and chorizo moving in the frying pan. "Good morning, yourself. How did you sleep?"

Eric poured himself a glass of orange juice and sat at the kitchen table. "Like a baby. How about you? Were you comfortable? I know how it is trying to sleep in a bed that's not yours."

"I slept great." An awkward silence fell as she tried to concentrate on the eggs.

"I didn't snore or anything, did I?" Eric asked, trying to break the tension.

She divided the eggs onto two plates, retrieving a pile of toast as well. She brought it all to the table. "No, you don't snore."

"You do," he said with a glint of mischief in his eyes as he took a large forkful.

"I do not! You're so lying!" Calleigh laughed, throwing her napkin at him.

Eric chuckled and continued eating. "These are the best eggs I've ever tasted. What did you do to them?"

"Heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder and a little cayenne. You know I worked in a restraunt kitchen when I was in college," she said nonchalantly.

"You know, if you promise to make breakfast in the morning, you can stay over whenever you want," Eric commented around more eggs.

Calleigh laughed. "So you only want me around for my cooking?"

"And your charming personality and sparkling wit." Eric grinned at her. The dance was going good so far. "I have hydrotherapy this morning but I'd like it if you came along."

"I thought that you're leg is alright now," Calleigh said, suddenly concerned.

"It is. I need to work on my motor skills. Today Doctor Taylor was going to have me meet him at the University pool. I thought we could swim a few laps afterward. That is if you don't have anything planned," Eric said.

"We'd have to stop back at my place so I can get my suit, but sure, why not? But then you're straight back here to rest. Horatio wants you to come in and start working on your proficiencies on Monday. Take the vacation while you can," Calleigh advised. "We're running like mad being one short."

"Great! Are there any more eggs? I'm starving."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's note: Okay, this one is a bit odd. I meant for it to go one way and then it decided to go another way and for the life of me, I have no idea where that ending came from or why it was so abrupt. I tried to make it go the way I wanted it to, but it refused. Ah well, words have power and stories sometimes write themselves for a reason. **_

_**The Swim**_

Calleigh exited the womens' locker room at the University pool feeling inexplicably self-conscious and shy. Dropping her towel over the railing at the side of the pool, she gently slipped into the cool water.

"I'm sorry miss, but the pool is closed for a private session," Philip Burke, Eric's physical therapist called to her.

"I'm with Eric. I think he told you that I was coming along. I'm Calleigh Duquesne," she said as she swam over and stood up in the shallow end next to him.

Philip looked her over in appreciation, noting that her one piece black speedo racer left nothing to the imagination. _You certainly are_. He briefly wondered what color her hair was under her swim cap. "I'm sorry, yes he did. He's still changing. How do you two know each other?"

"MDPD; he's my partner," she said, head turning as she heard the locker room door bump shut. "Hey slowpoke, what took you so long?"

Eric looked mildly embarrassed. "Nothing. I see you two have met."

"You didn't tell me that you have such a beautiful partner. I would have worn a better suit," Philip said as Eric slid into the water near them.

"Whoa there big fella. I have to warn you that she carries a gun. Now, are we going to continue embarrassing Calleigh or am I going to swim?" Eric asked, noting the crimson blush reddening her cheeks. As he passed her, he whispered low enough so that only she could hear, "You are, you know."

"So, uhm, wh-what would you like me to do?" she stammered.

"Well, I was thinking that if you're a strong enough swimmer, you could pace Eric," Philip said. "Why don't you swim a lap and let me see what you've got?"

"Sure, any particular stroke?" Calleigh asked, relieved to get the attention off of herself and back on helping Eric out.

"Breast stroke will be fine. It's nice and basic," Philip replied, leaning back against the edge of the pool.

"Remember, Cal, nice and easy. Don't try to break any water speed records," Eric coached and then he, too, settled back against the pool edge to watch her swim. As she swam, he noted the smooth motion of her toned muscles as they propelled her through the water stroke by stroke. He allowed himself to show his appreciation of her easy athletic ability clearly on his face.

"She's not bad," Philip commented.

"Thank you. I've been coaching her since last fall. She had a water accident and we both thought that she might benefit from some instruction," Eric said as Calleigh hit the wall and porpoised off for the second half of her lap.

"What happened, if I can ask?"

"Her department vehicle went into a canal and she nearly drowned. Luckily she got out with only a couple of bruises and a cut on the bottom of one foot," Eric explained. "She asked if I could give her some swimming lessons."

"I see," Philip muttered.

Calleigh finished her lap and swam up to the pair. "So, how was that?"

"Definitely good enough. Eric tells me that he's been coaching you," Philip said.

She nodded, gazing at Eric with admiration. "Nearly drowning will prompt you to ask for swimming lessons from the only CSI in Florida that can process an underwater crime scene. Who could ask for a better teacher?"

"Ok, ok, let's get to work. I want to do some swimming today," Eric said, his turn at being embarrassed now upon him.

Chuckling at the two of them, Philip set them to swimming laps together before coming back in to work on balance issues and more gross motor skills. The forty-five minute session passed quickly and Philip pulled himself out of the pool, making another appointment to see Eric later in the week, and inviting Calleigh back as well.

Calleigh leaned back against the pool edge and let herself float a little. "Well, that was fun."

"You call that, 'fun'? You're not the one with the short circuits in your brain. That was hard work," Eric replied, also allowing himself to float at the edge.

"You're not too tired, are you? If you are, we can go. I don't have to swim any more laps today," she said, concerned that he might have overtaxed himself.

"No, I'm fine. Besides, you need your lesson. We haven't been able to do this in a while. Show me your backstroke," he said, still relaxing on the edge.

She flashed him a grin. "Good, something easy." She rolled onto her back and pushed off, gliding backward for a few feet before beginning her stroke. It was strong and sure and Eric was just enjoying watching her fluidity. He remembered how uncertain she had been that very first time in the pool. It hadn't been a week since the accident and she was very hesitant to get in the water. It took a good deal of coaxing to even get her to put her head under, even though they had gone swimming plenty of times before and she was a decent swimmer. That's when he realised just how badly shaken she had been by the entire incident and changed his technique. She'd come a long way since then.

"Hey, daydreamer, you just gonna sit there all day?" Calleigh teased.

"Just remembering something."

"Something good or something bad?" she asked.

Eric smiled at her. "Something good. How about I join you for some 'Fly?"

She grinned back at him, playfully splashing at him. "Last one to the wall buys lunch."

"You're on!" Eric challenged and threw himself into his technique, only, it wasn't working properly. It was slow and clumsy and he bumped up against the wall several times before reaching the end of the lane to push off again to complete the lap. He couldn't find his rhythm and he began to get disoriented. Soon he found himself floundering in eight feet of water. Up was down and down was up. He began to go under. Suddenly there were arms around him, pulling him and he fought them but their owner was more co-ordinated than he was. His head abruptly broke the surface and he gasped for air. The arms were back and they pulled him to the side of the pool.

"Eric, are you alright?" Calleigh asked, also gasping for air. She held him tightly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. I don't know what happened. I was trying to butterfly but it wasn't working and then everything got all confused," Eric explained, becoming more distressed by the moment. "Did you pull me up?"

"I looked back and you were...you weren't swimming anymore and it looked like you were drowning. I thought at first that you were playing with me but it looked too real. I just went on instinct. I grabbed you and hauled you up," Calleigh explained. "You swing a good punch, by the way."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Eric asked, even more distressed. He lost his butterfly and apparently punched Calleigh. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to. I was disoriented and-"

"It's okay; I'll live. I'm just glad that you're alright. Listen, why don't we call it a day? I don't want to tire you out," Calleigh said, attempting to haul herself out of the water. She hissed in pain, seeing stars, and sank back in.

Eric had his arm around her to support her so she didn't need to tread water. "I did hurt you. Lean on me and I'll get you into the shallow end."

Eric swam slowly and steadily toward the shallow end of the pool. Only when he made it to the point where Calleigh could easily touch bottom did he release her. He helped her up the ladder and over to the bench.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked as they sat down.

"It's okay; it's gone now. Don't worry about it," she said, taking shallow breaths. The sharp pain was still there but she was reluctant to add to his distress by letting him know how badly she hurt.

Eric looked at her closely. _She was lying_. "Like hell! You're a terrible liar, Calleigh. Show me where it hurts."

Reluctantly, she moved her hand over the right side of her ribcage. Eric tenderly probed it with one gentle hand. She flinched back when he found the exact spot. "Cal, it could be a fracture or break if it hurts that much. You need this looked at."

"Right, and as soon as I say that you punched me they'll be all sorts of allegations of assault regardless of the facts. You know how it goes in the ER. A man and a woman enter; she's hurt and admits that it's because of the man. The police get called in and nothing good ever comes from it. Forget it. I'm not doing that to you," Calleigh said firmly, holding her side.

"Then let's get Alexx to look at it. She'll understand, knowing the circumstances," Eric said, worry that he had done more than just hurt her slightly taking root.

Calleigh shook her head. "You know she can get in trouble for that. She wrote one simple prescription for Ryan and it nearly caused an inquest."

"You can't just leave it."

"I won't. I'll go on my own to the ER and tell them that I got hit by a baseball," Calleigh said, standing up. She let out a cry and sat back down.

Eric stood up. "That's it. You stay here. I'm getting you some help." With that, he walked back into the mens' locker room. He was gone for a short while and then returned. "Rescue is on their way."

"Eric! Why'd you go and do that? You're going to get in trouble over this," Calleigh fretted as a siren sounded in the distance.

"You can't even stand up without pain. How do you think you're going to drive yourself anywhere?" Eric said reasonably as the locker room doors opened and two EMTs stepped onto the pool deck. "She's over here."

"What happened?" one of the EMTs asked, setting his kit down and kneeling in front of Calleigh. He had strawberry blonde hair and looked like he was barely out of his teens.

"We were swimming and I got disoriented and started to go down. She saw what was happening and came to pull me up. I fought with her, thinking, I don't know what, and I punched her. It was an accident; I was drowning," Eric explained although it killed him to admit to anyone that he couldn't hold his own in the water.

"It was; it was an accident. You've got to believe him. We're with the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. Eric is my partner; he'd never hurt me," Calleigh panted in a rush. She cried out as the EMT hit the right spot.

"You're CSIs?" the other EMT asked. She was short, dark complected, with curly dark hair.

"Yeah," Calleigh said.

"How's that CSI that took the bullet to the brain doing? You're going to need to go to the ER, you know. I think it's a fracture," he said, giving Calleigh an arm up after taping her through her suit.

"That would be me and I'm doing just fine, if you don't count the nearly drowning thing and then socking my partner one when she tried to pull me out," Eric said with a grin.

"Good to see you on your feet then," the female EMT said. "We can wait while you change if you want to come with us to the hospital. She's not critical."

"No, I'll just grab my clothes and change in the wagon. I'll get Calleigh's, too."

"Hey, Muhammed Ali, it's locker 322," Calleigh said as she was slowly walked out by the EMTs.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Ok, well, now I know why the last chapter wanted to be the way it was. It lead into this one. Thanks again for all the reviews. You're going to need to be patient, I'm afraid, as we now head into Eric returning to work and I need to go over Broken Home to make sure I have things just so. Anything less is just that.**_

_**The Swim **_

_**pt. 2**_

Eric sat in the waiting area at Miami General and looked out the window at the bright morning. He knew that Calleigh hadn't been seriously hurt and that she'd heal up in a little while, yet he felt guilty all the same. He was the one that hurt her. It was the second time in only a few months that she'd had a bad experience in the water. At least she didn't nearly die this time.

He remembered their conversation just a few days after she and the Hummer plunged into the canal.

_Calleigh walked up to him in the break room, sitting across the table, facing him. She seemed nervous and fidgeted with her soft drink can. "Eric, can I ask a favor of you?"_

"_Yeah, sure, Cal; anything."_

_She was silent for a moment, almost as if she was gathering her courage to speak. "I, uhm...I've been thinking lately that maybe, well, with what happened a couple of days ago..."_

_He sat up and leaned forward. She was nervous as hell. What was this? "What do you need? You know I'd do anything for you."_

"_Yeah, I know that Eric. Uhm, I know I can swim, but I nearly didn't make it out and up to the surface and I think that maybe something like that can happen again and I'm wondering if maybe you could give me a few lessons," she said in a frantic rush. She looked down at the table, cheeks flushed in embarrassment._

_Eric could have teased her; would have in fact, if he hadn't been the one to hold her while she cried when the reality of that day came crashing in on her. He knew how shaken she'd been. So instead of a smart remark, he said, "How about tomorrow morning at the University pool?"_

_She had looked up at him then, curiosity coloring her features. "No remarks?"_

"_Nope. Just be ready to work your butt off. No partner of mine is going to drown if I can help it," he replied._

_She gave him one of her very rare warmest smiles. He had felt his insides go to jelly. "Thanks, Eric."_

_As Eric waited for Calleigh he swam lazy laps, luxuriating in the feel of slipping effortlessly through the water, knowing it to be his friend. After a while he heard a locker room door bump shut and he swam to the side to see Calleigh looking very hesitantly at the water._

"_C'mon in, the water's fine," he called from the deep end. He swam over to her. "What are you waiting for?"_

_Calleigh took a step back when a little of the pool water trickled around her feet. "I, uhm, maybe this isn't such a good idea." _

_Eric had never seen her as hesitant as she was just then. One would think the pool was crawling with every ant imaginable the way she was acting. "What's wrong, Cal?"_

"_I don't know if I can do this. Maybe it's too soon," she said softly, backing up another step._

"_You know what they say, 'the sooner the better'. Come on, we'll start slow."_

_She shook her head, biting her lower lip, a sure sign that something was going on._

_Eric pulled himself out of the water and walked over to her. When he got close enough he could see that she was trembling and he realized that she actually was afraid. Considering what she had just been through, he didn't blame her. "Hey, you're with me and we're the only ones here. Nothing will happen to you; I won't let it. Just trust me."_

_She nodded and allowed herself to be lead back to the edge of the water. She fought every instinct to back away, trusting Eric's gentle arm around her waist. Calleigh swallowed hard and closed her eyes as he guided her to sit at the edge and let her feet dangle in the water._

_Eric looked at her. "You okay?" he asked gently. She shook her head 'no'. "That's alright, we'll take it slow. You're going to be just fine. Easy does it; slide in."_

_Calleigh looked at him standing in the water and tried to make herself just slide in like she would have done just a week ago, but somehow, couldn't do it. "I'm sorry."_

_Eric held out his arms to her, giving her a safety net to slide into. "Just come here; I've got you. You're safe."_

_Trembling, she reached for his arms, sliding into them and the water at the same time. She clung to him, shaking violently although the water didn't quite reach her waist._

_Eric wrapped his arms around her, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "It's okay, Cal, it's okay. You're going to be okay."_

_Finally, the violent trembling subsided to a more of a shiver. "Alright, we're going to bend our knees and kneel in the water. Nothing scary. I won't let go of you, I promise."_

_Slowly they lowered into the water together, Calleigh's trembling increasing with each inch they sank deeper. She buried her face in his chest as her knees touched the bottom. "Eric, I want to get out. I can't do this. Please let me get out," she whimpered, nearly sobbing._

"_Querida, if you don't do this now, it'll just be harder the next time you try. I know you're scared but you live in Miami. There's water everywhere and you can't go on and continue to be afraid of it. You're not going to function after a while. You need to do this," Eric said reasonably. He waited until her shaking wasn't quite so violent before saying, "Alright, let's try putting our heads under water."_

"_No."_

"_Calleigh, you're going to have to sooner or later," he felt himself getting a little impatient with her and then stopped himself, remembering how hard she had cried in his arms. "Alright, how about this, we do a buddy back float. We'll stay right here in the shallow end and I won't let go of you for a second."_

"_Do we have to?" she whispered, voice shaking._

_Eric's voice was soft. "Yes, we have to. Just try to relax, lean back and trust me." With that, he relaxed himself, allowing Calleigh to turn around and lean back against him. He waited for her to relax as far as she could before he leaned himself back in the water, allowing his knees to leave the bottom, pulling Calleigh gently with him. He sank slightly under her weight, but she remained on the surface, his own body helping keep hers afloat. They floated there, the soft sound of the water lapping the pool's edge until Eric felt Calleigh relax completely. He wanted to let go of her and let her float on her own, but he knew it was too soon for that._

"_How are you doing?" he asked._

_There was no tremble in her voice when she answered, "I'm alright but I still want to get out."_

"_That can be arranged," he said and gently brought them into an upright position again. He helped her out of the water. "That's enough for today. We can do more tomorrow if you want."_

"_Yeah, I think so. Eric, thank you. I know I'm being a big coward and all, but-"_

"_Hey, no; I understand. You'd do the same for me," Eric said as both of their pagers went off on the bench._

It had taken Eric another good week to coax her to put her head under the water and some more time in getting her to trust herself enough to swim again. He smiled. Now she had to pull him up and out.

"Excuse me, are you Eric Delko?" a nurse in purple scrubs asked.

"Yeah."

"You can go in now. Ms. Duquesne is being released," she said.

Eric walked past her and into the examination room. Calleigh had already changed from her suit and was having a hard time getting her right arm into the sleeve of her blouse, the bandage hampering her movements.

"Here, let me help you with that," Eric said, taking her arm and gently setting her hand inside the sleeve. Guilt gnawed at him. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She looked up at him, fingers still buttoning her blouse. "I know that, Eric. That's why they're called accidents. You know, I just realized that my car is still in the University lot."

"It's not that far. We can walk back if you're up to it," Eric said as she slid off the gurney with a wince.

"Don't worry about me. It's not that bad," Calleigh said, brushing his concern aside. "Do you have enough energy to walk the whole way? I don't want to jeopardize your recovery. We can always take a cab."

"No, I'm good but I'm planning on taking a nap this afternoon. Besides, I owe you a lunch. I was the last one to the wall," Eric said with a grin that spoke of nothing but mischief.

"Okay, you're on," Calleigh smiled up at him as they walked out. "I promise I won't say anything about your having to reteach yourself the butterfly. You never said anything about my water issues."

"Won't you have to tell H about your ribs?" Eric asked.

"I'll tell him I had an accident. He won't press for information. He never does anymore," she said somewhat sadly. Marisol's murder and witnessing his own brother's death really had seemed to hit him hard and Horatio had withdrawn himself from the team, including Eric, ever since returning from Rio. Maybe all he needed was time. Eric seemed to be bouncing back nicely. "Hey, isn't your favorite burger place on the way back to the University?"

"Yeah. Why do you think I wanted to walk?"


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's note: First of all, thanks for your patience. Life got in the way this weekend and because of inclement weather, my plans had to get jostled around and writing this got shoved off until tonight. Again, I had intended on this going in a different direction and it chose to go this way instead. Now, I know where this baby is going and half the next chapter is already outlined in my head. Thanks again for the reviews! **_

_**Too Soon?**_

_**(Broken Home)**_

Eric sat on the bench in the locker room at the end of his first day back at the Lab. His head was in his hands. "I came back too soon," he whispered.

"No, you didn't," a soft voice said from behind him. Gentle hands rested on his shoulders, kneading them. "Everyone makes mistakes. We still got the killers. Eric, we need you. I wasn't lying, I-we can't make it without you."

"Then why do I feel so useless?" he asked. He had screwed up the phenolphthalein test and had nearly let one of the killers escape. The mistake had created a false negative.

Calleigh stepped closer, giving him a hug from behind. She felt him relax slightly as he leaned his head back on her abdomen. "Eric, you've worked so hard to relearn everything. You've passed every one of your proficiencies with flying colors. There's no reason that you shouldn't be back. Besides, weren't you the one that broke the case?"

"After nearly ruining it."

She sighed, becoming exasperated. "You're a damn good CSI and you know it. It's in your blood; it's in your DNA. You can't escape it and you never will. You're ravenous for justice to be done and you bleed for the victims. Don't tell me that it's all changed now. I saw you working the case today and all of that craving for justice was still there. You're still bleeding for the victims. Nothing has changed except for your confidence in your own abilities. Am I right?"

"Calleigh, it's not like that. I'm still too slow and stupid-"

"Don't you ever call yourself stupid," Calleigh growled, the intensity of her voice shocking herself, "at least not in front of me. You are far from stupid and you know it. You're a brilliant chemist and the only CSI that I know of that can process a crime scene underwater." Calleigh's voice cracked and she realized that she was close to tears...again. She took a couple of deep breaths to steady it. "I'm sorry I was rough on you earlier, when I checked your kit. I had no choice; I was the lead investigator and I had chosen you to work on that particular team. I chose to take you into the field because I knew you were ready and you are."

Eric rose, breaking his comforting contact with Calleigh. He turned to her. "No, I'm not. I made a rookie mistake that cost us. I came back too soon and you put your trust in me too soon. I need more time off. I can't do this."

Calleigh felt her cheeks get hot as her temper snapped. Her voice was at a shout. "Dammit, Eric, that's a load of crap and you know it! You've passed your proficiencies and are ready to be back at work. When you aced you quantitative analysis proficiency I knew without a doubt it was time for you to be back in the Lab and the field. I asked Horatio to allow you to work the scene today. I guess my judgment was wrong since you're so determined that you don't belong anywhere near the Lab. Go on home; don't show up tomorrow. In fact don't bother showing up at all until you've finished with your pity party because this Lab and I don't need it. Getting through the day without you around here is hard enough."

Not trusting herself or her emotions any longer, she grabbed her things from her locker and left, leaving Eric standing there, dumbfounded. She moved at a speed that forced the lab techs to scramble out of her way on the way to the elevator. When it wouldn't move fast enough, she took the stairs, dimly aware of the pounding footsteps behind her. She exited out into the garage and stormed to her car, willing herself to hold everything in until she could get away from work, away from everyone that would know her and be shocked by her display.

She opened her car door and it was stopped by a male hand. "I said to wait, Calleigh."

She flicked her eyes up to Eric's face, getting in the drivers' seat. "The conversation is over."

"Not by a long shot it isn't," he said hotly. "I'm sorry I disappointed you today. I'm sorry that I'm not ready to be back yet. I'm sorry that I screwed up and almost let a murderer loose. What else do you want me to say? What do I have to do?"

Calleigh was silent for a long moment, biting her lower lip to try and control herself. When she knew she could speak, she said quietly, "Believe in yourself again; trust yourself. Yes, it's different now, but you're still you. The Eric I know and trust with everything in me would let a mistake like today's roll off his back as long as justice was done and just make a concerted effort to never let it happen again. It wouldn't eat at him and make him doubt himself so much that he felt like he couldn't face another day at work. It's not a question of you not trusting me or my judgment, but of you trusting yourself. Until that happens, you won't be able to function and certainly shouldn't be in the Lab."

Eric squat down next to her. His voice was equally soft. "I do trust you, Calleigh. I'm just scared. I messed up big time today and I don't want to have it happen again. I want to have it roll off my back, but it's hard. I saw the looks others were giving me; I know that not everyone thought I should be out in the field today. Even Wolfe asked if I thought I was ready and Alexx gave me a dubious eye. Wolfe I get, but Alexx? Cal, you've got to admit that it has been very fast; only a few weeks. I've lost credibility and the confidence of team members and it's hard to trust myself when others are being so cautious."

"What can I do?" she whispered, looking up.

Eric saw the moisture standing in her eyes and knew that the situation was hurting her as much as it was hurting him. "I want you to supervise my work and help me make sure that I'm not making stupid mistakes anymore."

She nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry I snapped upstairs."

He shrugged. "It's alright. I needed a kick in the pants anyway. Say, how about grabbing some dinner?"

"I'm pretty tired, Eric."

"Yeah, me too, but I think we need to talk about some things and I know you won't say anything as long as we're at work," Eric said, standing back up. "I may not remember everything in the past year or so, but there are some things that I have noticed and one very important one is about you. Now, let's go out to dinner and have ourselves that talk."

"I'd rather not go out if we're going to talk," Calleigh said, knowing that her blow-up had something to do with why Eric wanted to talk to her.

"Fine, then we'll get some take out and either go to one of our places, or maybe the beach. But we are going to talk because you have me pretty scared right now and I want to know what's going on," Eric said firmly. "How about Joe's Stone Crab and then we go to the beach, sit, eat and talk?"

"Alright. I have a blanket in the trunk that we can use. I'll meet you at Joe's," Calleigh relented, know she really had no choice.

Eric smiled at her, pleased that he had gotten his way. "I'll see you at Joe's."


	14. Chapter 14

_**Note: I am still keeping it in canon, but I think this will be satisfying anyway. Let me know if you want the offer Eric makes be written...but the catch is, you have to give me some suggestions.**_

_**Hey Jodie, angsty enough? **_

_**Opening Up**_

_**(Broken Home)**_

Eric lounged on the blanket and watched Calleigh watch the sunset, a far away look in her eyes. Although she smiled and laughed through dinner there was this _thing _that seemed to weigh on her, hold her down. The longer Eric watched her and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that that weight had been there since he and Horatio had gotten back from Rio, possibly from even before that. He might just have not noticed because he had been dealing with his own issues.

He shifted as the last rays of the sun honey colored the strip of beach before disappearing over the tops of the Miami skyline behind them. It was high time they started talking. "Querida, talk to me. I know something has been bothering you for a while now. It started long before my mistake today. Tell me what's weighing you down."

How she wished she could confide in him! She felt like she had aged ten years in the last twelve months. "Eric, you have enough issues of your own right now. I can't burden you."

Eric reached over and took both of her hands in his. "Yes, you can. I want you to. You've been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders and I want to help ease that burden. I'm strong enough. I can take it."

Calleigh swallowed hard. She pulled her hands from Eric's and ran them through her hair. "I don't know where to start."

"Start wherever you want," Eric said soothingly. She had been his rock for so long; first with Speed's murder and then with Marisol's death, he was sure although he couldn't remember much except brief flashes, and then with his own shooting. She was his invincible Calleigh; superwoman. It never occurred to him how much she could possibly be hurting inside. It must be pretty bad because she had certainly been more openly emotional with him since he'd been shot. "I'm listening."

Calleigh took a deep breath and looked out at the darkening ocean. "I wasn't ready; nowhere near ready and yet it all landed on me. It was so gradual at first; refereeing the arguments between you and Ryan. No one but me intervened. Horatio should have, but he didn't. I don't know where he's been for the last two years, but it certainly wasn't with the team. I have to take some of the blame, you know. I could have spoken up, but I didn't. I thought I could tough it out and things would eventually get back to normal. It hasn't. It's kept getting worse. I didn't mind you and Ryan sniping at each other. It was growing pains and I knew it. Then Ryan took the nail in the eye and it all stopped. But the pressure continued; I kept shouldering more and more responsibilities. Then Marisol was killed and you were in indescribable pain and Horatio withdrew completely and I was left standing alone, running the entire Lab without the two people I had come to count on. I could understand, I really could, but I needed someone there and there wasn't anyone. Ryan was still too new and Natalia...I wasn't too certain how much I could trust her anymore. Then the two of you went to Rio and Horatio handed the entire Lab to me on a silver platter. Do you know what he said to me? 'Calleigh, if I don't come back, it's all yours. Your promotion papers are already with the Chief.' He didn't think he was coming back in anything other then a body bag and I...I couldn't say anything to him. I couldn't tell him that I was terrified to be the new Lt.. I didn't want it; I still don't. I was relieved beyond relief when the both of you walked out of that elevator. You were back, but he wasn't. Yes, you were still hurting and in mourning, but you were _here. _Horatio is still gone. Despite him being around the Lab and talking to suspects, I had to run the investigation into my own attempted murder. Do you have any idea how that felt; how agonizing it was? Why the hell do you think I broke down like I did? Jake coming back into my life didn't help, either. He's an enormous complication that I just don't need right now. When you were shot, Horatio went chasing Clavo Cruz, who ordered the hit, but it was left to me and Ryan to track down the actual person that pulled the trigger. And, while that was a kind of therapy in itself, it's not what my heart said I needed to be doing."

Calleigh stopped and wiped at tearing eyes, fighting to hold her voice steady. Wrapping her arms around her knees she rocked slightly, attempting to calm herself. "Ryan and I, we got him and Horatio killed Clavo right in front of CSI. You would have thought that was going to help, but it didn't. Even after that, Horatio is still gone in the most basic sense. Today I had to run the entire investigation plus integrate you back into it. It's not your fault. This has been going on for a while now. It just came to a head in the locker room. I'm sorry that I snapped like I did. You didn't deserve that. You're scared and uncertain of your skills right now. I wanted to be more sensitive and reassuring, but all I could feel was impatience and anger. I'm sorry."

Eric's heart broke and he went to her, wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest. "I didn't know. All this time, I didn't know. I wish I would have. I wish you would have told me. Maybe there was something that I could have done to ease your burden. Querida, you need to talk with H. This kind of stress isn't good for you and you know that."

"I would if he and I could ever manage to be in the same place at the same time. I get emails and notes in my inbox on my desk. I don't think he wants contact because he knows I'll snap and read him the riot act and he's not ready for that right now," Calleigh said in an understanding tone.

"So you're just going to bend and bend and bend under the pressure until it breaks you?" Eric asked incredulously.

"What else can I do? I don't want to tear the team apart and having the Lt. and his second at each other's throats is going to do just that," Calleigh said, her voice breaking, letting out an involuntary sob.

Eric pulled her closer, rocking her, uncertain what he could do to help. He'd tell her to take a vacation if she would accept that. "You have to talk to H, Cal. Corner him if you have to; set up an appointment. Because if you don't I will and I'll let him know what he's been doing to you."

She pulled back and looked at him with bleary eyes. "Please don't; it's not like he's doing it on purpose. He's hurting still and can't deal right now."

"So you hurting is better?" Eric asked.

"Listen one day, and it's inevitable, I'll be promoted to Lieutenant and I'll head up my own team. I have to be able to take the pressure. I have to learn how to handle it. I have to be tough enough to take it."

Eric pulled her head back down to his chest. "But you're not right now and he needs to know that. You need to make it obvious to him that he needs to pick up the leadership again; that it's his job and not yours. Calleigh, I can't stand seeing you like this. I bet you're getting no more than a few hours of sleep a night and really haven't been eating well."

"That's not-"

"Yes, it is," he said emphatically. "You've taken such good care of me since I've been shot. I know that you came to the hospital straight from the Lab and I've asked; you stayed overnight more times than you went home. Calleigh, you're exhausted and under too much strain right now. We are going back to your place and then you are going to crawl into bed and let me take care of you. I owe you at least one night. I owe you a lot more than that, but we can start with one night."

"Eric, I don't need-"

Eric rolled his eyes at her stubbornness. "Yes you do. Calleigh, you've already had one meltdown. When is the next one and where is it going to be? Let's try to diffuse that now. You have off tomorrow and H told me to come in only part-time right now. I'm taking tomorrow off. I'm not taking no for an answer, Querida."

A small smile played across her lips. "You called me 'my beloved' more times in the last ten minutes than you have in the last ten months; I must really have you worried." She sighed heavily, unconsciously snuggling up to him. It felt good to have comforting arms around her, holding her. It had been far too long since she'd felt that. "You're right, you know. I am exhausted. Alright, let's go back to my place and I'll let you take care of me; but it's only for tonight. Maybe all I really need is a recharge."

"What you need is to be second in command again and not the acting Lt.," Eric said quietly. Reluctantly, he let go of her and got up, gathering the blanket and refuse from their picnic dinner.

Calleigh rose. "Let me help you with that."

"Nope. I want you to get in your car and drive home. I'll be right behind you in a few minutes. There's a stop I want to make first," Eric said cryptically. "I'll let myself in."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Taking Care of Calleigh**_

_**(Broken Home)**_

Calleigh popped the top on her laptop and logged in to check her email while kicking off her shoes and sitting down. What she really wanted to do was crawl into a pair of pajamas and snuggle up under the covers. The problem was that she was still too wound up with the day's workload to even think about falling asleep before 2 am. She'd toss and turn like she did most nights only to get an hour or so of actual restful sleep. She yawned and leaned her chin on her hand.

The sound of keys in her lock made her head shoot up in alarm until she remembered that Eric had said he'd be over and had a stop to make before joining her. Even though she had apologized to him for her behavior and blowing up at him, she still felt guilty as all hell.

"Hey," she called in greeting, already rising to play hostess, her ingrained Southern hospitality kicking in.

Eric let himself in and went into the kitchen, stowing away some staple groceries that he picked up. "Hey, don't you dare stop what you're doing to play hostess. You don't take care of me, I take care of you," he called, knowing that she was halfway to the kitchen already.

He intended on spoiling Calleigh, in part because he was worried about her and in another part because of all the tender loving care, support and understanding that she had showered on him during his recovery. She more than deserved it in his eyes. "Whatcha doing?" he asked, coming out of the kitchen with a plastic grocery bag in his hand.

"I was checking my email, but I've started playing Cubis. It's a minor obsession. What's in the bag?" she asked.

"You'll see," he replied cryptically. "You just keep playing until I call for you."

"What are you going to do?"

He smiled at her. "Something I know you'll like and probably never do for yourself. There's a virtue in having sisters."__

With that, he headed down her hallway, disappearing into her bathroom. Calleigh shrugged and returned her concentration back on the spacial relationship game, contentedly stacking and crushing cubes until she started feeling herself getting frustrated at being unable to get past a certain level. She switched to Chuzzle and happily popped the little fuzzy creatures with googly eyes until Eric's voice interrupted her.

"What happened to Cubis?"

"I was getting frustrated." She popped a set of purple creature, earning her mega-points.

"Well, my surprise is ready. Come with me."

Calleigh turned off the game, putting the laptop lid down and following Eric's lead. He lead her to the bathroom and stood in front of the closed door. With a wicked grin, he swung the door gently open to reveal her bathroom bathed in soft candlelight. The scent of lavender and chamomile drifted out to her. To her delight, she stepped inside to discover that her bathtub had been filled with a hot, fragrant bubble bath.

"Eric, I-this is-"

"Sh-h-h. Just get in the tub while it's still hot. I'll come back when you're in. I have something else to relax you," Eric said, pleasure at seeing Calleigh's dumbfounded and delighted reaction to his surprise rushing through him. Yeah, a bullet in the brain, alright, but it had made him slow down and really think things through. Leaving her to disrobe and sink into the fragrant bubbles, he went back into the kitchen and opened a bottle of Noval 10 year aged Tawny Port and poured it into two glasses. He went easy on Calleigh's because he knew that she didn't exactly have a high tolerance to alcohol and all he wanted her to be able to do with the drink was to relax, not get drunk. He chose the port for a few reasons. It wasn't necessarily high in alcohol content, it was sweet and pleasant tasting and unless she drank the entire bottle herself, Calleigh wasn't likely to have a hangover in the morning. He smiled to himself, pleased with his planning. This was something that he knew she _had_ to like.

He picked up both glasses and the bottle and made his way back to the bathroom. He knocked politely. "Cal, are you under the bubbles?"

"Either that or I'm in heaven," she replied in a long sigh of speech.

Eric smiled to himself, knowing that his plan of spoiling her was already working. "Can I come in? I have something for the both of us."

There was a slight pause and then, "Come in. I think all the bubbles are strategically placed."

Eric entered, quick to close the door so that none of the relaxing bathtub heat could escape. He set the bottle on the sink before offering the glass with the smaller amount of port to Calleigh. "Tawny Port wine to help you relax."

She did not reach for the glass. "Eric, you know how I feel about using alcohol to solve problems."

"Solving your problems with alcohol isn't my intention. I just want you to enjoy yourself and relax. I didn't give you much. It's not enough to get you drunk, but along with the bubble bath, it'll help you to relax. The port is sweet and gentle; meant to be savored and enjoyed. It's something comforting and soothing, that's all."

She reached out and took the proffered glass, sipping experimentally, finding to her surprise and pleasure that it was something sweet and gentle and that she actually liked it. "This is really good."

"Good."

"I didn't think I was going to like it. I don't like most alcoholic beverages. Dad issues, as I'm sure you know," Calleigh said, taking another small sip.

"I know, that's why I chose the port. Noval is actually from Portugal, where Port originated. Because of it's sweetness it's considered a dessert wine. If it could be made to taste just like that in a non-alcoholic version, it would be my drink of choice." Eric said.

"With you're being Cuban, I would have thought Rum would be your choice."

Eric nodded. "I like rum, too and vodka from my dad's side. But I love port. A glass of port and some chicken soup when you're starting to feel like you're coming down with something is magic. Between whatever is in the chicken soup and the germ killing of the alcohol, I haven't really been sick in a long time."

Calleigh chuckled, beginning to feel the port's effects. "I know what you mean. V8 juice, black pepper and cayenne kills anything that's brave enough to try and make me sick. It's Louisiana tonic."

"Are you enjoying this?" he asked after a short pause.

"Yeah, I really am. You're right, I never do this; the bubble bath and the candles, it's very romantic. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to take advantage of my stressed emotional state and seduce me. But I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't try that with me and my gun safe," she said sweetly, sipping at the port. "All kidding aside, I would never think of doing this for myself. This is really thoughtful. Thank you."

Eric's ears burned and were bright red in embarrassment, although seduction was not his intention. "You're welcome. You're supposed to stay in the bubble bath as long as you want. Actual bathing isn't the focus, relaxation is. Stay as long as you like and I can either keep you company or you can have alone time. That's your big choice. Once you decide to get out, I have another surprise for you to help you relax."

"Eric, You're being too kind. I mean, this is wonderful and I'm enjoying every minute of it, but I feel like I'm taking unfair advantage of you," Calleigh said.

"That's because you've spent the last several weeks focusing on me and taking care of and helping me do everything. You comforted me when I needed it most; let me do the same for you," he said, honestly. "It's what people do when they care about each other."

Calleigh leaned her head back against the tub pillow and closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the warm relaxation coursing through her. Maybe, feeling as she was, she'd sleep through the night and get a decent night's rest, unlike her normal routine. "Eric, you never cease to amaze me. You've always been nothing less than a gentleman and a loyal, kind and caring friend to me since the first day we met. You are the one person in this world that I trust with every fiber of my being, but it seems like since your injury, you've developed an incredible sensitivity that's overwhelming in perceptiveness and wonderfully attractive. Whoever steals your heart, I hope you capture hers just as soundly because you deserve no less that the absolute best in life. And if she, for even a single second, causes you any pain...I'll take her out with my own bare hands."

In Eric's heart of hearts, he knew that that 'someone' for him was Calleigh. He loved her and he knew she loved him. Even though the memory of the day that he was shot was still a little hazy, he remembered that that night, after tears had shone in her eyes, she had lain her head on his chest and as she drifted off to sleep she had told him that she loved him. "I don't think you'll have to do that," he said softly.

"You know, if I don't get out of the tub now, I just may fall asleep in it and drown," Calleigh said suddenly. "Besides, I'm curious as to what your next surprise is."

"I'll go then and let you get out. Do you need something-"

"Already done while you were getting the wine," she said with a grin. "Now go and be that gentleman."

Calleigh got out and dried off, putting on a pair of old shorts and a loose t-shirt. Reluctantly, she blew out the candles and let the water out of the tub. She opened the door. "Eric?"

"In the bedroom," he replied.

Curiosity peaking and thoughts of the laughing comment about him trying to seduce her suddenly made her very nervous. She stepped into her bedroom to find her bed already turned down and yet more soft candlelight. A fully clothed Eric sat at the foot of the bed. A bath towel had been laid on top of the sheets.

"What's this?" she asked.

Eric grinned at her. "Come here and lay down on your stomach and trust me."

"You know I trust you, but-"

"Just do it. I promise that you're going to like this," Eric said, gesturing to the bed.

Eying him suspiciously, Calleigh complied. She settled herself comfortably with her head resting on her pillow. She felt him move down near her feet. "What are you doing?"

Eric said nothing as he rubbed lavender massage oil into his hands. He lifted her left foot and began to rub the oil in, massaging gently. "This."

Calleigh was somewhat incredulous. "You're giving me a massage?"

"Mm-hmn; don't you ladies like that kind of thing?" Eric asked playfully. "My sisters sure do. They go once a month like clockwork. Isabel swears that having a massage is one of the most relaxing things in the world."

Calleigh tried to suppress a sigh as she felt him slowly move up to her calf and began kneading it. "Yeah, I just have never gone."

"Then relax and enjoy yourself. I am nothing if not a gentleman and if anywhere is uncomfortable for me to massage, then all you have to do is tell me. The point of this whole evening is to relax you, not make you tense or uncomfortable," he said, paying attention to the tense calf muscles. He slowly and gently moved to her thigh, kneading it with the heels of his hands before moving slowly back down the leg and repeating the process with the next one.

"Are you still with me, Calleigh?"

Her voice was thick and almost sleepy. "Yeah."

"Good. Are you still enjoying this?" he asked, knowing the answer already.

A contented sigh, "Yeah."

A smile crept across his face. "I'm going to move to your back, then. I'll need to lift your shirt a little. Is that okay?"

"Sure," she said, not wanting the massage to stop. Calleigh had no idea where Eric picked up the massage technique he was using, but it was turning her into a pile of highly contented goo. Besides, having Eric's hands on her bare back wasn't unusual. They'd gone to the beach enough times and he had put sunblock on her back before. Although, this was a different situation, but it was still only Eric who would definitely not take advantage of her in her vulnerable state. She sighed as he began kneading her lower back, first one side and the the other.

He had straddled her now to get better leverage, hiking her t-shirt further so he could have better access to her bare skin. He was exceedingly gentle as he massaged higher up; he could feel how much tighter the muscles got the higher he went. He started paying special attention to what felt like little hard rocks under her skin. She had dozens and he carefully set to work on each individual knot, loosening and releasing each one, silently thanking his massage therapist ex-girlfriend, Tina.

Calleigh jumped involuntarily. "Oh!" she cried as a searing pain erupted in her right shoulder.

"Easy, Cal. That's a pretty bad knot. I'll work it more gently," he said as his fingers wandered away from the sore point for a few minutes so that Calleigh could relax again. When he felt her ease under his hands, he slowly worked his way back to the knot and, this time, took extra care not to hurt her again. Once the knot had finally released, he went to the other shoulder and found an identical knot there. Using the same tender technique, he managed to release that one as well. Moving one hand to her neck, he pulled the t-shirt back down and gave attention to her tense neck.

"You carry a lot of tension in your shoulders and neck. Have you been getting headaches lately?" he asked.

"A couple; they're not too bad. What are you, a doctor now?" she teased in an effort not to fall asleep in the middle of the massage.

"No, just... I know stuff. Tension in the shoulders and back can cause headaches," he said, turning his attention to first her right arm and then her left. By the time he had finished, she was almost completely limp and half asleep.

"Good night, Cal. I'll be on the couch if you need me," he whispered.

It was a herculean effort for her to move her arm, but she did and grabbed his wrist. "No. I can't ask you to stay on my lumpy old couch after everything you've done for me tonight. There's enough room in the bed. Stay here."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she said, managing to drag her blanket over herself and drifting off. She was aware of the bed dipping under Eric's weight. Without giving it a second thought, she rolled over and cuddled up next to him. "Thank you," she murmured before falling sound asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Author's note: Sorry this took so long, everybody. I hit a major writers' block halfway through the chapter and it just wouldn't come unstuck until yesterday. I had intended on adding more to the chapter before posting it, but it just wanted to end where it did.**_

_**Again, thanks for all the reviews and I hope this chapter will be enjoyed.**_

_**Taking Care of Calleigh pt. 2**_

_**(Broken Home)**_

As he did the last time that he and Calleigh had shared the same bed, Eric awoke first and looked down at what he could only think of as the angel curled up in his arms. His angel that had more than proved how valued Eric was in her life. She looked so peaceful and untroubled with a slight smile curving the edges of her lips. He could see that she was dreaming and it had to be a pleasant one. Pressing a soft kiss on the top of her head, he carefully slid out from beneath her so as not to wake her. If she thought that she was being spoiled the night before, she didn't know a thing about being spoiled. That was just to ease the tension she had been wound up in; the day had more pleasant surprises in store.

Quietly, he stole from the room, shutting the door softly behind him and made his way into her kitchen. He took out everything he needed and set about making breakfast for the two of them. Eric kept as quiet as he could, trying not to make any noise that would wake Calleigh before he was ready to spring his latest surprise on her.

Humming quietly to himself, Eric remembered the previous spring when Calleigh's extremely feisty and very Irish grandmother surprised her with a visit around St. Patrick's Day. He had never seen Calleigh both so shocked and surprised and yet so pleased as when Reception called her and let her know that she had a visitor. She had run into her Gran's arms like a little girl and had been kissed and hugged until Calleigh's cheeks had gone red. That's when Calleigh's pager had gone off and she was forced to abandon her grandmother and attend to a crime scene. Calleigh had asked Eric to take her Gran to her place and settle her in. He agreed and was treated to a few hours alone with Mrs. Maureen O'Sullivan.

She had him go shopping with her for "essential staples" for any Irish household, which was a serious trick in Miami, unless you knew where to go, and she did. They bought floury potatoes, Irish bangers, or sausages, Kerrygold Irish butter, all the ingredients for both brown and Irish soda bread and more. Mrs. O'Sullivan even bought some Bushmill's Irish Whiskey and Guinness stout, despite knowing all about Calleigh's parents and her reluctance to indulge with drink in the house.

She had requested that he stay with her long enough so that he could receive his reward for being so patient with "an old woman". He did quite happily and was treated to stories of Calleigh as a child as well as the best cup of tea he had ever had and the amazing and comforting slices of soda bread, all still oven hot with melted Irish butter oozing everywhere. Mrs. O'Sullivan had taken a liking to him and had given him some of her recipes when she learned that he actually liked to cook. By the end of her visit she was calling him 'a mhic o', meaning "my lad", which was equivalent to his mother calling Calleigh 'mija' or, "my daughter". Eric genuinely liked Calleigh's grandmother and understood from her how much the simple Irish staple foods she always made meant to Calleigh.

It was some of those foods that he made for her now. Those were some of the things that he had bought before arriving at Calleigh's the night before. He pulled out the potatoes, cut them and set them to boil along with the sliced endive in a separate pot. Eric mixed the ingredients including the Irish whiskey, for the soda bread, formed it and put it in the oven. In the mean time he defrosted the bangers and set them on the counter to rest. Draining the potatoes and endive, he put them in Calleigh's largest frying pan with a good deal of the Irish butter, seasoning them with Welsh sea salt and proceeded to fry them until many tasty brown bits resulted. He moved that to a back burner and proceeded to fry up the fat, lovely bangers until they were crisp and flavorful. By that time the soda bread had finished baking and had already had a few minutes to rest on the counter. He cut several pieces and arranged them, along with a generous side of butter, on a plate with a couple of bangers and some of the colcannon (potato and endive mixture). He repeated the process with a second plate. He loaded everything on a couple of bed trays along with a cup of tea each and carried them to Calleigh's bedroom.

He opened the door. "Good morning, Sunshine."

Calleigh rolled over and opened her eyes. She felt wonderfully relaxed and refreshed. She stretched fully, luxuriating in the feel of loose muscles free of the tension cramps that had been plaguing her for months. "Good morning."

Eric entered and place one tray on his side of the bed and allowed a very surprised Calleigh to sit up before placing the second tray over her lap. "Breakfast in bed."

Calleigh looked over the food on the tray and could feel her eyes welling. That he would go to all the trouble for her..."Eric, you shouldn't have...I mean it's...and I-"

His voice was soft, concerned, "What's wrong?"

She wiped at the moisture on her cheeks. "Nothing. It's just that you went through so much trouble and just for me. No one has ever done that before. I don't know what to say."

"How about saying nothing and eating up before it goes cold? Your grandmother gave me the recipes the last time she was here. Tell me how it stacks up," Eric said proudly. He hadn't realized that his little surprise would make her actually cry; at least it was in pleasure and not pain.

Out of the corner of his eye he watched her as she ate. For someone so petite and slender, she had a ravenous appetite. "So, how does it stack up?"

"I'm missing my Gran right now, thank you. This is almost as good as hers. It would be as good if you'd been making it as long as she has," Calleigh said honestly. She peeked at him as he ate. _Just how far beyond friendship could his feelings for her go? No "mere just friend" would have gone to all the trouble that he had for her. The bath, the wine, the massage and now the breakfast in bed. Could her feelings for him be returned? _She wanted to ask him, but didn't know how to begin and then there was a fear that he'd say no and that he was just her friend...that she had fallen in love with.

"I'm glad you like it; I've been practicing for months," Eric admitted. "I was going to invite you over for your birthday and surprise you with it, but a little early isn't too bad."

"You can still do it for my birthday; it _is_ only next week, you know," Calleigh joked to cover the emotions raging inside her.

Eric put his tray aside. "So, what do you want to do today? It can be nothing work related at all and must be relaxing."

"You mean this relaxation thing is carrying over to today? I can't ask you to spend your day off fussing over me. There has to be something that you'd rather be doing," Calleigh said in pleasant surprise. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear; a very intimate gesture and it made her skin tingle from the touch of his hand. It made it very hard to think.

"There's nothing I'd rather be doing today, Cal. You deserve some relaxation and rest with everything you've been carrying around on your shoulders. If I left you'd go hit the paperwork or something and I don't want you to do that. Leave work for tomorrow. Horatio is a big boy and he needs to shoulder his part of the burden again," Eric said firmly. "Now, I'm going to take these dishes and wash them so you can think about what you'd like to do today. Take your time."

Calleigh nodded and swallowed the thought of exactly _what_ she'd like to do with Eric just then. She waited until he closed the door before she let out a frustrated sigh. She wanted to tell him how she felt...but and but and but. Unless she was willing to have her heart shattered for the second time in her life, and she wasn't; the Jake Berkeley relationship in New Orleans was enough for a lifetime, she would keep silent until she was completely and entirely certain that he felt the same way. Satisfied that it was for the best for the time being, she threw back her covers and made a decision about what innocuous thing that they could do together.

Eric washed the dishes, replaying for himself the entire breakfast. She had not only been touched, but touched almost to speechlessness by his Irish breakfast in bed. The tears that shone then fell from her eyes told him that. He wanted to give her a lifetime of joyful moments just like that. He already knew that she loved him as much as he loved her, now he just had to dance that dance with her until she was ready to make the first move. He knew her well enough to know that she had to be completely certain that her feelings were returned 100 percent before she'd risk herself and her heart. She had told him how much Berkeley had shattered her all those years ago. He knew and witnessed her emotional shut down when Hagen committed suicide right in front of her. It had been an eternity to get her to open up again. It was no wonder that she was so cautious when it came to her emotions. It seemed to him that the minute she let someone in behind her walls, all they ever did was hurt her. He just needed to remember to be patient and not get annoyed at her for taking so long...and he had a feeling that it would be quite a while.

Finishing the last pot, he turned to see Calleigh leaning in the doorway. She was wearing an autism walk t-shirt and a pair of faded cut-off shorts. She had pulled her hair into pigtails behind her ears and was grinning at him. "Now, that's sexy," she said. "A man that can do dishes better than I can."

_Did she just fire the first volley in flirting with him?_ "I do laundry, too." He replied, feeling his pulse race at seeing her toned bare legs, despite the Keds and shorts. She had no idea what she was doing to him at the moment. "Have you decided on what we're going to do?"

"I have and it involves being outdoors in the sun and fresh air. But we need to take a little trip first. I hope you won't mind," Calleigh said cryptically.

"Where are we going and what are we going to do?" he asked, drying his hands on a towel.

"We're hitting the garden center and then we are going to get our hands dirty in my yard," she said playfully. "After that, who knows? Maybe it'll be your turn to choose again."

Grinning, Eric left to change clothes. When he returned, they, indeed went to the garden center and Eric got a rare treat in watching Calleigh's enthusiasm for gardening. He had no idea that she enjoyed that sort of thing. Despite knowing that she willingly dove into wet trash and could dig around the most disgusting and disturbing crime scenes, he had no idea that she liked to dig in the dirt and garden. She had always seemed to him to be the kind that hired a gardener rather than get filthy, herself.

An hour later and her back seat jammed with flats of flowers, they headed back to her home and out into the yard. Within minutes she was busy fussing over a delicate rose bush, the Rio Samba, which could actually grow in Miami.

Eric leaned against the wall in a patch of shade. "I didn't know that roses could grow in Miami," he commented.

She didn't even look up. "Only a few can and I've been on the look out for them. I haven't had a rose garden since I left Darnell. I really miss having one, but Miami can be brutal on the bushes since the vast majority of them need a cold dormant season. There is a bright spot, though, I can have as much jasmine and gardenia as I can take. Magnolia can't grow here, though, which is a shame since the blossoms are so pretty and the flowers are sweet scented."

He smiled at her, loving her enthusiasm for something other than firearms. "So what do you want me to do?"

She looked up and gestured to a spot that was in partial shade. "Go over there and dig a hole big and deep enough for this rose bush while I plant the marigolds along the wall."

Taking the shovel, Eric walked to the spot that Calleigh had indicated and started digging, checking every now and then to see how big the pot was. Finally, he stopped, satisfied that the hole was deep enough. He returned to his shady spot on the wall and watched Calleigh contentedly planting the last few bright yellow marigolds. They were like a splash of bright sunshine along the shadowy wall. He waited for her to look up. "Your hole is done."

Calleigh's breath caught as she looked up at him. While he had been digging, Eric had removed his shirt and his tan, well-muscled chest glistened with a fine sheen of perspiration. She struggled to regain her composure. It wasn't like it was the first time that she'd seen his bare chest. They had gone swimming often enough and he never wore a wetsuit. The only difference was that she was now keenly aware of her attraction to him and the sight of his naked chest was doing all sorts of things to her. She had to remove herself from the situation in order to calm her racing heart. "Great. Why don't you take a rest while I go and get us something cold to drink?"

"Sure," Eric replied, grinning after her rapidly retreating figure. He had heard the slight squeak in her voice and had caught the sharp intake of breath when she first looked up at him. When he had removed his shirt, he hadn't intended on getting that reaction from her, but he was glad that it had. The fact that Calleigh had felt the need to retreat to regain her composure just kept confirming what Eric already knew. Maybe that first move would come sooner rather than later.

Calleigh stood in front of the open refrigerator door and let the cold air wash over her, cooling her and calming her overwhelming and unexpected reaction. She knew her face was flushed and her heart was pounding in her chest. Her hands shook as she reached for the pitcher of sweet tea she always kept on hand. She willed them to stop before she spilled the entire contents all over herself.

Finally managing to still her hands, she poured two generous glasses and took them outside. To her delight and dismay, Eric still had his shirt off, but now she was prepared and could school her features to something far more appropriate. She handed him his tea and went over to inspect the hole he had dug. "This looks good. The rose bush is the last thing to plant so why don't we get it in so I can water everything. Then it'll be your turn to think of something relaxing to do."

"Fair enough," Eric said, getting up and picking up the rose bush in it's gallon pot. He carried it to where Calleigh was now kneeling and fussing with the bottom of the hole.

She grabbed the bottom of the pot. "You hold the plant while I pull the pot off the roots. Be careful of the thorns."

Together they freed the bush from it's pot and delicately settled it in it's new home.

"Ow!" Eric cried, jerking his hand away from the rose bush. Red blood welled lazily on the pad of his thumb. "It got me."

Calleigh dropped her spade and took off her gardening gloves. "Let me see."

Eric stuck his thumb in his mouth. "No."

"Let me see it, you big baby. You deal with blood almost every day. Don't be so squeamish," she chastised, reaching out for his hand. She managed to get his thumb out of his mouth. A small pin prick of blood welled up. "It's not that bad; come inside and we'll fix it."

Eric allowed himself to be lead back into the house and into the bathroom, his hand tingling where Calleigh held it. It was now his turn to try and school his features. "Not that bad? It's not your thumb."

"Just hold still. It'll be over in a second," Calleigh said, uncapping the hydrogen peroxide and trickling it lightly over Eric thumb. He hissed in pain as the peroxide bubbled away possible disease. Calleigh gently dried his finger and tenderly placed a band-aid over the wound. "There, finished; or do you need me to kiss it and make it better?"

Despite her teasing tone, the moment was charged. Eric could think of somewhere else that he'd like her to kiss and make better, but he was determined to let her make the first move. Taking a couple of deep breaths, ones that he was sure she'd notice, he reluctantly pulled his hand from hers. "No, I'm fine. Thanks, Cal. We'd, uhm, we'd better get those flowers watered. It's awfully hot out and I wouldn't want them to die on you."

"Yeah," she said, sounding just slightly disappointed. Truth be told, she wanted nothing more than to kiss his thumb and anywhere else she could place her lips on him. If she couldn't get a hold of herself soon, she'd be requiring a very long, very cold shower in the near future.

She followed him out into the yard. "Can you grab the hose and bring it over here? The water should already be on."

Eric did as he asked, examining the sprayer head. "Are you sure, Cal? I'm pulling the trigger and nothing is happening." he pointed the sprayer at her and pulled the trigger again. "See?"

She was barely paying attention, her mind still preoccupied on the exchange in the bathroom. "Maybe there's a kink in the hose."

Eric was already examining the length of garden hose laid out behind him. He nudged the slight kink and it came out easily. Ice cold water shot from the still depressed sprayer and he turned when he heard the high-pitched shriek to find Calleigh caught directly in the spray. He quickly released the trigger, cutting off the water. She was soaked from head to foot, both hair and clothing plastered to her body. "Geez, Cal, I'm sorry. You okay?"

She was panting from the shock of cold water. She felt goosebumps on every part of her skin. Well, there was that thing about needing a cold shower... She certainly didn't need it anymore. "No, I'm not okay! I'm soaked to the skin and that water is icy. My goosebumps have goosebumps. I'm going to go get changed. You can water the flowers. You're good at soaking things."

Eric stifled a laugh as she brushed past him, her skin actually cold to the touch. "I said I was sorry."

"Yeah." Calleigh said and then entered the house, going into the bathroom and peeling her completely soaked clothing off and dropping it all into the bathtub. She picked up a large, fluffy bath towel and dried herself off before wrapping it around her and crossing the hall to her bedroom. She changed into a tank top and shorts before running a comb through her wet hair. She wasn't really mad at Eric. It was an accident after all and it was kind of funny now that she was warm and dry. And it had calmed her thoughts down considerably, thank goodness. She actually felt in better control of herself just then.

Emerging from the bedroom, she noticed that Eric had now taken up residence in her kitchen and was already busily making some sort of food. "What are you doing?"

"I soaked the plants and then I decided to make us a little lunch," he said, turning around. "Listen, Cal, I really am sorry. It was an accident. I didn't mean to get you all wet."

"It's okay and it's pretty funny...now," she said, coming all the way into the kitchen. She sat at the table. "What are you making? It smells really good."

"It's something my mom used to make us when we were kids and had a bad day. It's noodles smothered in tomato soup. It's nothing fancy, but it always made me feel better...and remember, today is still about relaxation and treating yourself to special things. I know getting soaked with cold water wasn't exactly pampering you, but-"

"Eric, you don't have to keep doing this," Calleigh protested, although it made her feel amazingly special and cherished that he'd go to all sorts of trouble for her.

He put a lid on the pasta and then sat down across from her, taking her hands. "Yes, I do. Cal, you mean the world to me and even more so since I had been shot. While I was in the hospital, I can't remember a single night that I didn't fall asleep without you in the room and it helped me not be so afraid of things I had no control over. You have always been an amazing and supportive friend, even when I messed up or tried to shoulder things on my own. I know you've protected me and even lied to Stetler last year about the rolling papers because you knew there had to be a good reason and you believed in me. I don't know what I'd do without you around. I know you're overstressed and exhausted and badly in need of someone else doing the caretaking for a little while so you can rest. You need to just accept it for what it's worth and allow yourself to rest."

Calleigh looked down at the tabletop and tried to blink back the tears that had welled in her eyes at his gentle and loving words. The strain and the stress of the last year suddenly broke over her and she realized that Eric was right. There was no stopping the tears as they cascaded down her cheeks and splashed on the tabletop. Her hands were released and suddenly his arms were around her, holding her and rocking her as she let go of everything. She buried herself in his embrace and did nothing to stem the tide of release. The last year flooded through her and she cried every tear she had denied herself shedding. The anger, the frustration and the pain that she had held in rose to the surface, bubbling over in a nearly overwhelming emotional tide and she was grateful that Eric was there to help hold her up through it. Gradually, she calmed, but did nothing to move out of Eric's arms. She was mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted. She was falling asleep right there in the kitchen. Calleigh felt herself lifted up and carried to the sofa and laid gently down. She tried to protest, but nothing came out. An old quilt was snuggled around her and she drifted off, calm, content and relaxed.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A Grizzly Murder**_

"Cal, I think I messed up," Eric said as he caught up to Calleigh in the Lab's main hallway.

She turned to him, concern for him very evident on her features. "What happened?"

"I didn't know what the mini-ray was and even what it was for and Wolfe called me on it. I feel like an idiot. I was the one that showed it to him when we got it." Eric said, hoping that this new fumble wouldn't raise her already elevated and explosive stress level.

She cocked her head to one side. "And?"

"And nothing. I messed up. I forgot we had the piece of equipment. I don't want to add to your stress, but-" Eric said.

"You're not. Besides, you're the one that found all that blood under the tile in the hotel room. That brought a whole new aspect into the case and, need I remind you, that is what ultimately caught the killers," Calleigh said, reassuring him. "And I wouldn't worry too much about Ryan."

"Oh, yeah? Why?" Eric asked as they continued walking toward the locker room.

"If you tell him I told you this I will use you for target practice. The day that you were shot, Ryan nearly lost it more than once. Nearly losing you tore him up inside. He had a hard time focusing when we went to investigate the parking garage and Ryan almost got himself an assault charge when we found the guy that shot you...all so he could pay off his car. He was about as reluctant as I was to leave the hospital, even if it was to find the guy that shot you. I really think he sees you as a big brother; kind of how you viewed Speed when you started. He still tries too hard sometimes, but that's because he doesn't want to let anyone down. He worries about you; he really does. I don't think he really sees any of us as vulnerable because we normally don't get hurt. I can talk to him if you like and remind him that you wouldn't be at work if you weren't given clearance," Calleigh said, remembering how lost and broken Ryan looked as they waited for Eric to be out of surgery. "Listen, why don't you go and grab a bite and then come back and help me with the paperwork on this one?"

"You want me to help with paperwork? Is this the same Calleigh that yells at me because she can't read my handwriting?" Eric teased, feeling much better knowing that Wolfe didn't think that he was incompetent and that he was just worried.

She stepped closer to him, lowering her voice so only he could hear her. "Yes, but this is the same Calleigh that had two meltdowns in a 24 hour period; the second one, I believe was at my kitchen table while you held me. So, yes, I want help with the paperwork."

"Gotcha. I'm going to Rosa's. Do you want me to bring anything back for you?" Eric asked, understanding perfectly.

"Get me the usual and this time don't eat half my fries," she tossed over her shoulder as she walked away, intending on checking in with Ryan. "And bring back extra ketchup."

"Right!" Eric called as he let the locker room door fall shut.

Calleigh began to look for Ryan and it didn't take too long to find him, seeing as the Lab had all those glass windows. He was in Trace, busily analyzing some small bit of a thing. "Hey, Ryan."

He didn't glance up. "Hey. I thought you'd be out of here already."

"No, I want to get the paperwork written up on this one. Death by grizzly bear is something out of the ordinary," she replied. "Come on, a triple homicide with three separate killers and only two you can arrest? That's one for the record books."

"Yeah," Ryan said absently and then looked up at her. "Calleigh, can I talk to you about something?"

"Yeah, sure; shoot."

"I know you two are close and all, but do you really think Eric is up to being back at work? Last week he screwed up the pheno test and this week he couldn't remember that we have a mini ray and that he was the one that showed it to me. I know he's worked hard, but is he really ready? I'd hate to think that he's pushed himself too hard," Ryan asked, trying to convey his concerns without sounding like he felt that Eric was helpless.

"He's passed all his proficiencies and is taking things slow and by the book. He's bound to have a bumpy start. Don't forget that he's had to relearn almost everything and he's still in therapy. Remember how you felt after you had that nail in your eye and everyone of us kept on you," Calleigh reminded him.

"Yeah, but I was trying to forget about it and pretend nothing was wrong and I ended up with a nasty infection that almost cost me my sight. I should have listened to everyone and taken it seriously. That's why I'm concerned about Eric. I'm concerned that he's doing what I did and ignoring the fact that maybe it isn't going to be like nothing happened," Ryan said.

"Exactly. I get it, Ryan, but Eric has been cleared and is just trying to get on with things and he probably would appreciate our collective support and understanding," Calleigh stated.

Ryan nodded. "But he always gets so defensive."

"And you didn't Mr.-I-got-a-nail-in-my-eye?" she challenged gently. "All I'm saying is just give him a break and back him up. If he makes a mistake or forgets about something, go easy on him. He's doing the best he can."

Ryan grinned at her, getting her point completely. "I got it. Sympathy, patience and understanding, but not too much or he'll punch me out."

Calleigh pat him on the head. "That's all I ask. I don't want to fill out the paperwork when he cold-cocks you. I'll let you get back to work. I think my dinner just arrived."

"A ten says that Eric ate half your fries," Ryan said, grinning.

"You're on," Calleigh shot back, grinning as widely as Ryan. She followed the smell of the food to the break room and found Eric unpacking the burgers and fries. "So, did you eat half my fries?"

Eric looked sheepish. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Cal, they always smell so good. You can have half of mine. I hope I remembered your usual right. Cheeseburger, medium rare, with mustard. mayo, ketchup, lettuce, onion and tomato. Did I get it right? Please tell me that wasn't Natalia's or Wolfe's."

Calleigh gave him a mock frown. "The only thing wrong is...you ate half my fries. You did fine, Eric. I'm starving."

Eric grinned at her as they sat down and began to eat. "So have to talked to H about...you know?"

"No. I haven't seen him all week. I know he's been here. I have been leaving the unfinished paperwork in his inbox and have done no more than my share as the ballistics expert and second. I refuse to stay several hours overtime like I have been. Tonight has been the only exception because it was my case to run and I want to get the paperwork done while the case is still fresh in my mind," Calleigh said, around a mouthful of burger. She reached into Eric's french fry bag and pulled out a couple, dunking them into the ketchup pool.

"Are you sure you're not overdoing it?" Eric asked.

"I'm sure. Listen, as much as I enjoyed the whole "pamper Calleigh" experience, I don't like what prompted it. I don't ever want to feel like that again. I don't want to be that out of control," she replied. "I certainly wouldn't mind another relaxing bubble bath with the wonderful massage after and then another breakfast in bed, but this time, I want to fully enjoy it."

Eric grinned wickedly at her, knowing that she let something very telling slip without realizing it. "So is that an invite to do it all again for you sometime?"

She smiled shyly at him, knowing that she could have just lain her heart bare to him and he could very easily smash it. "Maybe."

"Then we'll just have to pick an occasion and mark it that way," he said, knowing how vulnerable Calleigh had just allowed herself to be.

Calleigh was about to reply when Ryan walked in, going to the refrigerator and pulling out a soft drink. "So, did he eat your fries?"

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out two fives. She was grateful for the interruption. They were getting perilously close to dangerous territory and Calleigh realized that she wasn't prepared to go there just yet, despite all the feelings that had risen between her and Eric. "Here."

"What was that about?" Eric asked, mildly annoyed because he had hoped that Calleigh would throw down the first move.

"He bet me ten dollars that you'd eat half my fries before you got back here," Calleigh said, recovering quickly. She thought she had seen something like disappointment cross Eric's face when Ryan entered. 'I lost."


	18. Chapter 18

_**Interlude**_

"Hey, Eric, hold up," Calleigh said as they both headed toward the elevator.

Eric stopped, turning. "Hey, Cal."

She caught up with him and punched the call button. "I know this is really late notice and that you probably already have plans but I was wondering what you were doing tonight. I'm asking because my dad got these event tickets and he can't use them so he gave them to me and-"

"Calleigh, I'm free tonight," Eric said, doing his best not to laugh at how flustered she had become. "So, what are the tickets for?"

"Florida Panthers vs. Chicago Blackhawks hockey game," she said in a much calmer manner, relieved that Eric was free and that she could stop sounding like an idiot. Why was she so nervous anyway? It was just Eric. Eric, her partner and best friend. Eric who understood about her phobia of ants. Eric who took care of her when she needed it and Eric that she had fallen in love with...The elevator arrived and they got on, heading from the parking structure to the Lab.

"Why are you asking me and not Wolfe? He's a huge hockey fan," Eric said.

Calleigh shook her head in a very rueful reminiscence. "I went to precisely one hockey game with him and will never do so again. He turns into someone I don't know, yelling and hollering insults. It was plain embarrassing, not to mention that he nearly got into a fight in the stands and stadium security had to be called. We nearly got thrown out."

"Aw man, that wouldn't have been good. Two county CSI's thrown out of a hockey game for fighting. I could see Stetler all over that," Eric laughed.

"Hey, it's not funny. I would have been in the middle of that!" Calleigh protested, imagining being grilled by Stetler over a hockey game.

"So what time is the game?" Eric asked as they got off the elevator.

"It's a 7:30 start so I guess we should get there by 7 just to make sure we can find where we're sitting. I would suggest leaving from here instead of trying to go home first. You can always crash at my place after the game," Calleigh said before she could stop herself. She wasn't sure if she could handle being alone with Eric all night again without something happening between them. It was everything she could do to prevent it last time.

Eric thought about the offer for a moment. Could he handle being alone with Calleigh all night without something happening between them? The urge had been so strong the last time and he resisted with everything in him. He suddenly felt as nervous as a teenager. "Uhm, yeah, I could do that."

She offered him a bright smile, although he could see she was just as nervous as he was. "Then it's a date...or not...I mean, you know what I mean."

Eric chuckled, understanding her nervousness completely. "Yeah."

As if on cue, her pager went off. "Hey, I have to kit up and go. I have a homicide at the docks. I'll catch up with you later."

Later ended up being much later; as in at the end of their shift later. They met in the locker room, each retrieving their personal belongings. As it turned out, they had actually worked the same case, the Brody Lassiter murder, but from two completely different angles.

"Cal, I think I made a turn around today," Eric said as they drove toward Fort Lauderdale and the hockey game.

"Really? Is this a good turn around or a bad turn around?" she asked, concentrating on the road.

"It was a good turn around. I met this girl at White Sands. She was actually a suspect for a while since it was her rope that was around Lassiter's neck. Jolene was in there for two solid months and was afraid to get out because she was afraid that she'd just go back to her old habits. She had made the rope out of dental floss and was contemplating using it on herself rather than check herself out and go back home," Eric said. "She was so afraid so I thought maybe if I told her about the shooting and how hard it's been to be back at work and how much everyone has been there for me, she might not be so scared."

Calleigh couldn't help feeling slightly jealous that Eric felt that he could confide in a total stranger and not her. "So, what did you say?"

Eric could hear the slight jealous note in her voice. "I told her how scared I was when I first came back and how I made stupid mistakes and didn't want to ask for help, and I would have given up if it wasn't for my family and friends supporting me through it all. She said that what I told her gave her the courage to call her family and check herself out this afternoon. I hope she makes it when she gets home."

"So this is your turn around?" she asked.

"Yeah, it is. For once since I've been back I haven't needed the help, someone else has and I could finally give it," Eric said, smiling.

"And the whole 24 hours of taking care of me wasn't helping somebody," Calleigh said, hating herself for doing it.

"Cal, that was different. I know you. You're my partner and my friend and we've had each other's lives in the palm of our hands so many times that I've lost count. Jolene was a perfect stranger that was reaching out and flailing in mid-air," Eric said, trying to figure out where he made the mistake with Calleigh. "The difference between you is that she asked for it and you didn't, even though you needed it just as badly. Hers was work related and yours...Calleigh, your whole circumstance was personal. How could I let you go on being in the agony you were wrapped up in?"

Her hands gripped the wheel so tightly that they hurt. She had no idea where the jealousy was coming from. "So I was a sense of duty."

"No, Calleigh, you were and always will be because you mean so much to me. I don't know what I would do without you. You've been my best friend for I don't know how long and I trust you with my life. You would do the same for me; you did the same for me," Eric said, frustrated. "Where is this coming from, Cal?"

"I don't know; I really don't. This isn't me. Let's just go to the game and have a good time. Maybe a good fight will break out," Calleigh said, trying to laugh off her unusual display of jealousy.

"Don't shut down on me," Eric said softly, wanting, needing her to be open with him.

"See, that's the whole thing, Eric, I'm not. I've been a bit on the moody side all day. While I was watching the news on my lunch break, I nearly burst into tears over a stupid greeting card commercial. Ask Natalia," Calleigh said, honestly trying to explain why her emotions were all jumbled up all day long.

Eric sat back and looked at her a long time before saying, "If you get it figured out, you'll tell me, right?"

Calleigh nodded, grateful that Eric was willing to drop it for the time being. "I promise."

The rest of the ride was completed in relative ease and it wasn't long before they were pulling into the parking lot at the BankAtlantic Arena. They made their way to their entrance gate and found their seats with relative ease.

While Eric went to get them their very fast-food stadium meal, Calleigh took the time to sit back in her seat and try to figure out what was behind her very mercurial mood swings all day long. It made no sense. She felt perfectly fine, nothing had been going wrong, even though she still hadn't seen Horatio once. She didn't think her stress level had elevated again. She had slept soundly ever since Eric had pampered her and held her while she cried out everything that had tied her up in knots for months.

"Maybe I should, just this one time, chalk it all up to being female," she laughed to herself. "Sometimes an apple is just an apple."

"Talking to yourself is a sign of insanity," Eric said, sliding in next to her. He handed her her food.

She took a long pull on her soft drink before replying, "No, answering yourself is."

The lights suddenly dimmed and the teams were introduced. The rest of the game went along as hockey games do, with at least one good fight and plenty of high speed action. The end result: Panthers 5, Blackhawks 2.

"So, are you still up to crashing even though I was crabby earlier?" Calleigh asked as they neared her turn off on the highway. "If you're not, I can drop you back off at the Lab so you can get your car."

"No, I'll stay. You're not crabby now," Eric said with a yawn. "And I'm too tired to drive myself home."

"You didn't overwork yourself, did you? After all, this is your first week back full time," Calleigh asked, concerned.

"Nope. I'm just regular tired, but I'll probably sleep like a log as soon as my head hits the pillow," Eric said. "How have you been sleeping?"

"It's been good. No more tossing and turning or waking up in the middle of the night. I've been sleeping soundly since you took care of me," Calleigh said. "I don't think I actually thanked you for that."

"Yes you did; you got yourself back and I can see it. I like having the old, bouncy, positive Calleigh back that I-I missed so much. It makes me happy seeing you so happy again," Eric said. "That's why what happened earlier threw me a curve ball. Did you ever figure out what it was?"

Calleigh grinned sheepishly at him. "You'll think it's silly."

"No, tell me," he persisted as Calleigh pulled in her driveway.

"I'm female. That's all I could come up with. Really. There's nothing that has even mildly upset me, except for Tyler temporarily misplacing my botanica surveillance video, but that's it. No midnight calls to come fetch my dad from a bar, no nightmares, no restless sleeping; nothing," she said as Eric reached over and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"You're sure?" he asked.

"I am and I really am glad you could reach that girl at White Sands today. Maybe she will make it on the outside," Calleigh said, unlocking her door and letting Eric inside. "Would you like something to drink or anything?"

"No, I'm fine. I'll just wash up and hit the couch," Eric said, "That is, unless you want to sit up for a while."

The awkwardness was setting in again and she hated it. She was going to kick herself for saying the next thing, but she knew that she had to offer. "You don't need to sleep on the couch, you know. It's not like we haven't shared a bed before."

Eric was taken aback, not expecting her to make the offer. Was this the first move? "Uhm, sure, why not?"

She grinned at him. "Great, then I'll just be a minute in the bathroom and then it's all yours." Calleigh disappeared down the hallway.

It was definitely a first move of sorts. It wasn't exactly a clear signal to pour out his love for her, but it wasn't sleeping on the couch, either. He was hopeful that it might lead to some cuddling and maybe a kiss or two. Nothing too much. He didn't want to frighten her away. What he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and tell her how he felt about her and then physically show her how he felt.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear her call his name.

"Hey, Eric, what's wrong?" she asked, stepping close.

She was so close that he could smell her soap and toothpaste. It was intoxicating and he found it almost impossible to restrain himself. "Nothing is wrong. I just forgot my shaving kit."

"Oh, if that's all, I kind of like you a little scruffy," she said before turning and heading down the hallway. She stopped at the bedroom door. "The bathroom is all yours."

Eric stood rooted to the spot in shock. Was she just playfully flirting like she used to or was it a deliberate move? He couldn't be sure. Forcing himself to move, he turned off the living room light and got himself ready for bed.

He entered her bedroom, the light already off. "Cal, are you still up?"

"Yeah," came a soft and already sleepy reply. "Why don't you climb on in?"

Eric didn't have to be told twice and crawled under the covers. "You know, you could come over here and put your head on my shoulder now and avoid the rush later. You know you'll wake up that way," he said in a very teasing manner, waiting for what she would do.

There was silence and then he felt her first roll onto her back and the scoot over, laying her head on his shoulder and snuggling up next to him. Her arm snaked around his waist; he felt her sigh softly. Gently, so as not to startle her, he enclosed her in his arms, rubbing her back.

"This is nice," she breathed softly, cuddling in closer, entwining her legs and his.

"It is. Now go to sleep," he breathed back, a sudden wave of sleepiness overtaking him.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Hey, thanks for all the reviews so far. This one is a little slow, I know, but I have something tickling the back of my brain that was sparked by something a couple of chapters back when Eric met Calleigh's grandmother. So, since it's almost March 17, I want to see if I can bang a little something out for then. In the mean time, enjoy this chapter. The next one is going to be a sort of interlude, so be patient! **_

_**Triple Threat**_

"Hey, Natalia, can I ask a favor of you?" Calleigh asked, catching the DNA expert by the elevator.

The tall brunette turned toward her, offering her a genuine smile. Calleigh had proven to be someone incredibly supportive to her despite, or perhaps in spite, of her being outed as the mole last year. The petite blonde had willingly mentored her and they gradually regained their previous friendship. "Sure, Calleigh; what do you need?"

"It's kind of personal, so I'd like to take it in my office," Calleigh said, leading Natalia away and over to Firearms.

Natalia followed in a bit of confusion. She thought hard about what Calleigh needed a favor for and was coming up blank. Calleigh, as she had come to know, was by far one of the most extremely capable people she knew. She had noticed, however, that shortly after Eric returned to work Calleigh had a major mood shift. She became more buoyant and charming, in fact so much so that she quite nearly charmed the socks off the "Mancation" hunting tour guide a couple of weeks earlier. Natalia liked this new ease and heightened warmth in Calleigh, which, when she remarked on it to Ryan, he had informed her was how Calleigh was before her ex committed suicide on her firing range in front of her. This explained why she was working in Tox when Natalia first arrived and then transferred back to Firearms a few months later. Something had definitely put the bounce back in Calleigh's step and whatever it was, she was glad it happened. _Could it have something to do with Eric? There was a new closeness between them since he returned and a heightening of it just after the first case Eric worked on once he was back. That was when Calleigh's mood shifted. Could they be seeing each other and keeping it quiet? _Her mind whispered to her.

She accepted the proffered chair. "So what's the favor?"

"It has to do with Eric," Calleigh began.

"So you _are_ seeing each other! That's great!" Natalia cried.

"What? No! It's not like that. Whatever gave you that idea?" Calleigh spluttered, wondering what gave her feelings for Eric away. Natalia was very perceptive and was making a great CSI, but surely she couldn't have dropped that many clues.

"It's just...you know, you've been in a much better mood since he came back to work. You've been happier and more relaxed and I hear that that's the way you used to be around here. Look, no one is telling stories or spreading gossip but I heard about what happened in Firearms a couple of years ago and how hard it was for you. I don't blame you. I can't even begin to imagine how you must have felt. It must have been so incredibly traumatic and it's no wonder why you needed to distance yourself from it and the scene. It would have changed my outlook, too. I know how close you and Eric are and how much you helped him after he was shot. I just thought that you two might have become an item but were keeping it quiet. I'm sorry if I got it wrong," Natalia apologized.

"No, it's okay. The abrupt mood shift was due to Eric, but not in the way you'd think. You've noticed that we're very close and he can get stuff out of me that no one else can. He'd noticed things he didn't think were good and confronted me about it. I had a catharsis and that's it," Calleigh rambled recklessly and then caught herself. She had no desire to have Natalia think of her as weak. "But that's not what I brought you in here for. Eric and I are close; you know that. So, when he'd been having trouble trusting himself and then people here doubting his readiness to return to work after such a traumatic injury and then getting called on a couple of mistakes, he got upset with himself and confided in me. I've been doing my best to keep him positive, but I need help. Ryan is still so worried about him that he's really no help at all. You and Eric have really worked to rebuild your trust so I'm hoping I can get your help. All I'm asking is for you to back him up and subtly remind him that he's a good CSI and that he belongs back at work."

Natalia nodded. "I can do that; no problem. Eric knows so much more than I do about being a CSI so it won't sound phony or like I was put up to it."

"Great, thanks Natalia," Calleigh said, relieved that she diffused a potential problem. "I knew I could count on you."

"Wolfe thinks he knows everything," Eric growled to himself as he drove back to the Lab after finishing his part of processing the Whitford crime scene. "Thinks he knows what I'm going through; like he's had a bullet in the brain. So I had a little double vision. I can still work. It only happened a little. Doc said it was normal. There's nothing wrong with me!"

He longed to pick up the phone and call Calleigh, but he refused to do it. They had just managed to get her back together and he wasn't going to let this latest mistake of his stress her out. She had just returned to being the Calleigh he first fell in love with a decade ago and he didn't want to jeopardize her newly returned happiness. Her eyes sparkled again and her laughter was genuine and her job didn't seem to weigh on her like it had before. Maybe she'd still be able to see the positive side of a hurricane or return to that wonderful, playful flirting again.

Thinking about Calleigh calmed him enough that when he pulled into the Lab's parking structure he wasn't visibly seething anymore. He took his blood evidence to DNA, dropped off the .38 for Calleigh, logging it in fourth in line for a test fire, and then brought everything else back to Trace and got down to work.

He had completely lost track of time when his pager went off: Valera. He trotted into DNA, his earlier frustration and anger now forgotten, all buried by the excitement and adrenaline rush of a new case. Maxine had informed him that the blood sample was not the victim's but belonged to the victim's wife, Ashley. Eric and Natalia had joint interviewed Ashley Whitford only to discover a non-sinister explanation. She admitted to being in the bathroom and she had gotten a nose bleed. With nothing more to hold her on, they released her. Eric watched her retreat and then noticed that she had left her sunglasses behind. In a place like Miami, sunglasses were everything and actually a multi-million dollar industry where the sun shone more than clouds covered the sky. There was a reason that they had been nicknamed "The Sunshine State". He grabbed them and took off after her, hoping to catch her and return her property, but when he got outside, all he caught was a glimpse of her getting into a car driven by...someone who looked exactly like her.

Fear and dread took hold of him as he watched the car drive away. "No, no, no, this can't be happening. A little blurry double vision is one thing, but this? Nothing's wrong. Nothing can be wrong. The doctor cleared me. There can only be one Ashley Whitford in the world." Eric muttered to himself. He knew what to do to still his fears; he'd fingerprint the sunglasses. If they matched the wife's, then he'd need to see his doctor, but if they didn't, well then, it was a whole new ballgame.

A good half an hour later found Eric running the print through AFIS when Horatio walked in. He realized that Wolfe must have talked because there was acute concern for him, Eric, in his boss' voice. Admitting to thinking that he had been seeing double, he confessed. Before he could explain, AFIS spit out the fact that the owner of the fingerprint was not Ashley Whitford. Horatio's conclusion that Mrs. Whitford had an identical twin brought an enormous sense of relief to a very anxious Eric. Outside of a little double vision at the crime scene, he was alright.

Calleigh logged into her interoffice email, finding a message from Horatio. She huffed in annoyance. Ballistics was only fifty feet from his office. Why couldn't he just walk in and tell her what he wanted? She clicked it open.

_Calleigh, _

_I'm concerned about Eric. He admitted to me that he might be experiencing double vision. Mr. Wolfe confirmed._

_Horatio_

"Great, just great," Calleigh mumbled, closing out her email without sending Horatio a reply. Maybe if he didn't hear from her he'd come in person and they could have a normal, decent, human conversation. She rose and went looking for Eric, intent on finding out what Horatio was talking about.

Calleigh found him in the break room, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the sports section. "Hey, everything okay?"

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"Well it's been mentioned to me that you might be having vision issues. Now, I thought that you were going to bring things like that to me yourself and not let me hear it second hand," Calleigh said calmly, allowing the disappointment she felt to be heard in her voice.

"Cal, I didn't want to worry you. It was nothing, really. I thought I saw two blood droplets instead of just one. I fixed the mistake and I'm fine," Eric said quickly. "I didn't want to stress you out."

She was silent for a long moment before answering. "Not knowing if you're having difficulties is more stressful, Eric. I thought you knew that. Just because I let extra stress get the better of me for a while doesn't mean I can't handle my normal load. You check in with me no matter what, alright?"

"Yeah."

"So, it was just the blood drops?" she asked.

"Well, I thought I was seeing things with Mrs. Whitford. I saw her get into a car driven by somebody that looked exactly like her. It turned out that it was her twin sister. I printed her sunglasses just to be sure," Eric explained.

"Then you know that it turned out to be a break because she isn't just a twin, but a triplet and all three of them are going away for quite a while," Calleigh finished. "Listen, I'm off for the night. Care to go get something to eat if you're finished?"

"I'm still waiting for an AFIS hit on the botanica robbery this afternoon. I gotta stick around, but you have a good night and I'll see you in the morning," Eric said with a hint of wistfulness in his voice.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning, then," she said with an equal amount of wistfulness as she left for the night.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Personal Issues**_

_**(Just Murdered)**_

Eric finished photographing the fingerprint on the ultra modern shaped vase. He, personally, thought the vase was hideously ugly, but what did he know? He didn't even buy flowers, well, except for a date or two, but he hadn't had one of those in a good while. Come to think of it, he hadn't bothered spending time with any woman other than Calleigh and he honestly had no interest in any other woman. He wanted to spend all his time with Calleigh; quite possibly the rest of his life with her. _'How ironic,'_ he thought, _'I'm thinking of possible marriage while we have a murder embroiled with a divorcing couple.' _

As he began running the print through AFIS, he wondered if Calleigh would like it if he bought flowers for her. He knew she loved tulips almost to distraction, especially since they couldn't grow in Miami. She loved roses, too, but those were on more dangerous ground since the color of roses seemed to have their own meaning. His musing on flowers and fingerprints was interrupted by his own distraction walking in.

"How are we doing with our personal trainer," the blonde Southern beauty asked, walking into the print lab.

Eric looked up at her and took in how good she looked that day. She wore a white blouse and a very snug black vest that looked a great deal like a Renaissance bodice and equally as snug fitting black slacks. Wrenching his attention back to her question he said, "Good. I was able to pull two clean prints; a thumb and an index finger. I'm running them now."

She nodded slightly, coming a bit closer to the table. "Oh, maybe we'll be able to catch a break."

Eric shook his head in near disbelief. "Can you believe these people; lasers down the middle of their house? It's crazy."

Calleigh dropped his gaze, looking mildly uncomfortable, remembering her own parents' divorce. Granted, she had already been an adult and out on her own, but she felt like she had done something wrong. She had caused it. Intellectually, she knew it wasn't her fault and there was nothing that she could have done to prevent it, but she had already had a lifetime of guilt as a child of alcoholic parents. Now they were divorcing and it was incredible the way her parents had tried to use her as a weapon against each other during the proceedings. She was forced to distance herself from them, no matter how much it hurt to do so. Staying close only hurt more. "Yeah, sometimes divorce brings out the worst in people. I know from experience."

"Your parents?" _IDIOT!_

Calleigh put on a forced smile, realizing that she could see the concern in his eyes as soon as he knew he reminded her of something possibly painful to her. "Yeah. It was fifteen years ago but I still remember all the grizzly details."

He noticed that while she looked up, she couldn't look him in the eyes, yet he could see a distant sadness in them. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories," he apologized gently.

She shook her head dismissively, even though he had brought up some very bad memories. She knew he didn't mean to. "Oh, no, it's okay."

The hit came in from AFIS and the computer beeped with a match. "We've got something." The picture accompanying the print popped up and he turned the screen so Calleigh could see.

"Laurie Atherton," she commented with a tone of irony.

"It's the wife."

"But, you know, she said she never goes over to Hank's side," she said, her eyes already lighting with excitement over the new development.

Glad to see that Calleigh had already dropped the memories of her parents brutal divorce, Eric said, "She's lying."

Calleigh grinned at him, her phone already out, calling for Tripp to pick up Mrs. Atherton for questioning. She walked out of the lab talking animatedly with the detective, giving him details on why she needed to question the woman.

While he finished processing and logging in all the fingerprints, Eric mused over what little he really knew of Calleigh. She was smart, strong and independent. She had Irish heritage on at least her mother's side of the family she played rugby on the weekends and had a love of a good pint of Guinness. She had a strong sense of justice; she was fiercely loyal to anyone she cared about, even to the point of covering for them and taking on things too big to handle. She came from a relatively affluent background, even though both parents were alcoholics. She had her heart shattered at least once and it was by Detective Jake Berkeley, whom she tried her best to avoid. Eric knew that Calleigh felt things deeply and completely, but, at least when it came to work, she shoved her feelings away and was the consummate professional. She loved to garden. How could he be in love with a woman he knew so little about? They rarely talked about their personal lives, yet he knew when she needed him and when she needed him to stay away.

Taking everything that he had processed, he hand walked it to the officer at the Reception desk. He stopped to look over his report, making sure he didn't make any mistakes, before handing it in. That's when he had the confusing encounter with a woman he would later learn was named Carmen Henney and she was suing him for something or other to do with him decking her deceased husband. He lost the settlement, which was for a quarter of a million dollars. He had chosen to have his paycheck garnished.

He didn't remember a thing. It had happened right before the accident and his mind was a complete blank . He thanked God for Calleigh at that point. She had seen the encounter and ran interference for him, assuring him that he had done nothing wrong. She was gentle and reassuring and it made him feel better that she was there for him. She had been there for him a lot since he was shot and he didn't know if she really understood how much it meant to him, despite all the time they spent together. He intended on telling her the first chance he got.

As Calleigh suggested, he went back to work, processing the shoe print from the Lamborghini.

/

After leaving Carmen with the parting shot about some people having to work for a living, Calleigh did, indeed go back to work, but only part of her mind was focused on it. Eric occupied the largest part. He had to be confused about Carmen and about what had happened. She was worried about Eric; that he'd be upset with himself for not remembering the whole fiasco with Carmen and her late husband and the scam they ran on him. Finishing what she was only half concentrating on, she rose and left to find Eric.

She found him hard at work comparing the footprint from the Lamborghini to the pool boy's shoe print. Calleigh stopped for a minute to observe Eric. He seemed unconcerned about his memory loss at the moment. With a sigh of relief, she entered and sat on a stool opposite Eric.

"That dust lift you collected is pristine," she praised.

Eric puffed a little at the professional compliment. "Thanks. I'm, uh, comparing it against the pool boy's shoes now. It must be his favorite pair. They have a nice wear pattern."

Her curiosity was peaked. "Is it unique enough for a match?" she asked eagerly.

Eric studied the film in his hand and visually compared it to the dust lift. He placed the film over the print and turned it toward Calleigh. "I tell you what, why don't you tell me?"

She slid the film over the print, merging them into one perfect match. She was impressed. "That's a match," she breathed in satisfaction, pleased that Eric's work seemed to be returning to the precision he had before the accident. "We got him for killing our Lamborghini guy."

Eric sighed his relief, confidence surging through him. He smiled at her. "Yeah. Calleigh, I wanted to thank you."

Confused, she looked up at him.

"For taking care of that girl today," he continued. As far as he was concerned, it was now or never for him to reveal at least some of his feelings for her.

She smiled gently up at him, warmth rushing through her. "It's not a problem. You would have done the same thing for me."

"Yeah," he said softly, knowing that he would have done that and far more for her. He had to make her understand. "It's just that...you've helped me out a lot this year."

She stood, understanding that he was having a hard time expressing himself. "Well, I appreciate you for appreciating me." He had that same lost look that had scared her so badly when he was in the hospital. She needed him to know that everything was alright and that she would stand by him no matter what. That he was loved. Without thinking, her right hand cupped his left cheek, pulling his head lower. She softly, yet firmly kissed his right cheek before pulling away. Looking back up into his eyes, she suddenly realized what she had done; what she had let him know. It had nothing to do about appreciation and everything to do with her heart. Frightened by her own actions, she gave him a nervous smile before retreating.

Eric was stunned by her actions. His cheeks burned from her hand and her lips. She had kissed him and he couldn't be more confused. Was it like the gentle kisses she would place on his forehead when she thought he was asleep when she kept her nightly hospital vigils or did it mean something much more? He thought he knew the answer and that she was having an increasingly difficult time in hiding her feelings from him. She had seemed frightened when she pulled away and her retreat could be called hasty. He looked after her, watching her disappear down the hallway. He knew she had let her walls around her feelings for him slip and in that knowledge he began to smile.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Panic**_

Calleigh's POV:

Calleigh hurried away from the fingerprint lab as quickly as possible without running. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her hands shook. She was in a complete panic over her actions with Eric. She just wanted to let him know he was doing fine and instead she kissed him..._in the middle of the glass walled lab_. Someone must have seen. How could they not? There are no private moments, no secrets when you have glass walls. How could she have been so careless to let her feelings go completely on display in public, at work, of all places? And, why couldn't the ground just open up and swallow her whole?

She paced firearms for a good long while before she could calm down enough to focus on the case at hand. That no one entered or paged her was a good sign, as far as she was concerned. Maybe no one saw. Calleigh knew that she still had to work with Eric and she needed to reign in her feelings for him even tighter if she didn't want another public display just like that again. She desperately wanted to tell him how she felt about him but that fear of being hurt again constantly gnawed at her.

Jake wasn't the only one that had hurt her in the past. He was just the one that hurt the most. She really had been head over heels in love with him when he chose his career over her. He chose the excitement and danger of undercover work over working his way through the ranks of the police department to finally become a detective and to deepening his relationship with her. She remembered the heart searing pain of that final conversation when he told her about starting UC. He said that he loved her, but he couldn't face putting her in danger if his cover was ever blown. He said that it wouldn't be fair to her to have to wait for him for maybe months on end, to have just a couple of hours together before he'd have to go back in. He had made it sound like it was all about her, but she knew better. He hated patrol and the routine beat. He only came truly alive when he was faced with apprehending a dangerous suspect. So, in the end, he chose excitement and danger over her love and shattered her heart into a million pieces. She vowed to never let someone in so deep and hurt her like that again.

She had been devastated and only a select few knew what had gone on. To others, it just seemed like she had a renewed interest in her work. In the end, her lack of distraction and passion for science lead her to the New Orleans Crime Lab and her reputation for being a wunderkind with firearms brought her to the notice of Megan Donner in Miami. She sent Horatio to recruit her and that had been the answer to end the lingering pain of having the constant reminder of Jake no longer being in her life.

The move to Miami had been easy. Horatio had proven to be a good friend and had helped her find her first apartment and helped move her in. He seemed to understand and appreciate her abilities and really seemed to sense what she could become. To that end, he left the remainder of her training to Tim Speedle, who was a wunderkind in his own right. They had an easy friendship, the two wunderkinds, behaving more like siblings than co-workers, teasing and laughing. Eric joined the team a year or two later and even though she had fallen in love with him in an instant, it was easy to ignore her feelings for him. They had plenty of time to let any relationship develop and she was in no hurry. With her new life in a new city, new job and new friends, she could put New Orleans and Jake out of her mind for good.

Over time, relationships came and went, nothing ever serious until John wandered in. He was good at his job and a meticulous detective, thirsty for justice. His kindness and care for her when she was being targeted by Hank Kerner touched her deeply and she felt a slight crack in the walls she had built around her heart. When he asked her out a couple of weeks later, she said yes. Looking back, the relationship was good for a while, but things just started going wrong.

She noticed that he wasn't just protective over her, but possessive and even though she could out shoot him any time she wanted, he sometimes overlooked her abilities and her intelligence and conveniently forgot that she was a cop first and then became a CSI. The last straw in an already crumbling relationship was when he found her dad, the father that he had so easily dismissed as "an old man trying to pull himself up out of the bottle", in a bar and brought him, not to her home, but to the Lab, where any number of things could have gone wrong. After he had helped her get her dad home, they had argued and ended the relationship that very night. It had hurt, but she hadn't invested her whole heart in that relationship so with very little time, the pain had passed.

It was easy to ignore John's repeated attempts at getting back together with her when he returned to work after being out on leave for having a "bad back", which was cop speak for not being able to pass the department psych evaluation, the same one that she had to pass after Tim had been killed in the line of duty and the very same evaluation she had to pass after John had committed suicide in front of her right on her firing range. She still had nightmares about it and still woke up in a cold sweat, tears streaming down her face. She still felt partially responsible for his suicide. Her rejection of his advances had probably contributed to his already failing psyche. Seeing someone she had once cared very much for commit suicide within a few short months of losing Tim almost broke her. Almost. Despite her torn and bleeding heart, she held herself up and passed the evaluation the very next day without talking to anyone but Eric about it. He and Horatio were the only ones that knew how torn up she was over the whole thing. Horatio had understood and had approved her transfer to Tox without a word, giving her both time and space to heal.

Peter Elliot and his surprise engagement to Monica West had hurt, but not nearly as bad as it probably should have. She was still too numb from both Tim's and John's violent ends to be more than a little hurt and relatively angry. It turned out that Monica was dirty and got herself not only disbarred, but a jail term for trying to dishonestly bring the Lab down.

Throwing herself into her work was, by then, a natural way for her to deal, or not, with her feelings so she willingly shouldered the increasing burden of running the Lab as Horatio drew further and further into himself, even walking face first into what could have been several fatal encounters almost as if he wanted to be killed. She was worried about him, but other pressing business diverted her attention from him until she realized that they, who for so many years, worked side by side, hadn't even been in the same room or on the same investigation for months.

And through it all there had been Eric, who, having his own issues with Tim's death and his sister's cancer and then murder, never stopped checking in with her and she with him. They initially drifted apart after Tim's death and Ryan's hiring. She was so focused on training Ryan that Eric had slipped through the cracks and gotten himself into deep trouble. For her, it was like a slap upside the head, reminding her of how much he meant to her. She reached out and felt for his hand. He was drowning in his own anger and fear, yet he grasped her hand and she convinced him to see the union shrink to help him through his pain. They rapidly reconnected after that and not only regained their old closeness, but with the advent of Marisol's murder, they drew even closer. Calleigh realised that she was deeply in love with Eric and she held him as close, no, closer in her heart than Jake had ever been. The fact that Jake had somehow ended up in Miami only served to annoy her and bring no actual pain. Her heart was given to Eric and he didn't even know it. But, she had told herself, they were young and still had time.

Then just not so long ago, Eric was shot and nearly died. He had died and had been resuscitated and would live. She came within a hair's breath of losing him forever without letting him know how she felt about him. Again, Calleigh felt her heart rip open and bleed. Time was up and she had to make her feelings for him known. And, she had just done that in the Lab and she was shaking in terror. What was she going to do? How was he going to respond? Was he going to respond? Did she guess wrong and he didn't love her? She was going to have to face the music sooner or later, so she decided sooner was better than later.

Gathering her courage, she made her way to his Lab, but found it empty when she arrived. Spying Natalia in DNA, she made her way there.

"Hey, Talia, have you seen Eric?" she asked casually.

Natalia looked away from her microscope. "He got a court summons for a competency hearing. It seems the pool boy lawyered up and Eric's injury is being called into question. Carmen Henney is involved."

Calleigh felt her temper rise. "That sleazy...I know, calm down. He's being used as a scape goat, you know that."

Natalia nodded. "I know. Horatio's heard and he's madder than a wet hen. He went off to the state bar right after he found out."

Calleigh nodded, worry for Eric's confidence in his ability to do his job utmost in her mind. "Listen, I'll be in Firearms. Let me know when Eric gets back. I want to know what went on."

"You got it, Cal," Natalia replied, eying her senior colleague carefully, knowing that there was a lot more going on between her and Eric than most folks would have guessed. She saw the kiss and, even though it had been on the cheek, there had been far more to it than a friendly little peck. It was going to be interesting to see what developed out of it.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Thank you all for all the reviews. I'd list the names, but it would be longer than the chapter! And, also, thank you for being so very patient while I wrote. This is Spring Break for me so there might, and I say might, be another chapter coming during the work week. I work in Special Education so while I'm at work it's all about them. The weekends and vacations it's all about doing other things. Don't be surprised if some of my very special and precious kids (under different names, of course) show up periodically in my stories. **_

_**Fallout**_

True to her word, Natalia paged Calleigh the minute she saw that Eric was back. He didn't look happy and she could surmise that the hearing didn't go well. She saw him speak briefly with Horatio, and although she had no idea what they said to each other, she figured that Horatio gave Eric some reassurance because he looked less tense when the conversation ended and Eric walked into Layout.

Cutting her connection with Natalia, Calleigh finished signing off on her report and headed over to Layout where she found Eric frowning at the pictures of Pool Boy's fire ant bites. _She knew there was a good reason to be afraid of ants and fire ants were a prime example. Silly phobia, eh? _Eric didn't look upset and the fact that he was still studying the evidence photographs was a good sign that his confidence hadn't diminished to disabling levels.

She entered and went as close to him as she dared. Her feelings were still uncomfortably close to the surface and could careen out of control at any second. "Hey."

He looked up from the photograph. "Hey."

"You know you didn't do anything wrong. That lawyer is sleazy; they're using you as a scapegoat for her client," Calleigh said hurriedly, seeing a slight doubt in his eyes.

"Everything Wakeman said was true," Eric said, doubt in his abilities evident in his voice, the way he leaned on the table, the sadness in his eyes.

Calleigh took it all in and knew she had to act fast or he'd turn in on himself like he did the first day he was back. He was close to quitting then. She couldn't let that happen. He was a too damn good CSI to let a sleazy lawyer, an equally sleazy scam artist and a murder suspect send him into an ever downward spiral of self-doubt and fear. "There's truth and then there's relevance."

That seemed to help, although he still sounded doubtful about how he could help. In the end, though, it was Eric that broke the case against the pool boy and his ant bites. The bites only went halfway up his arm, which meant that something stopped them; something like a jacket with elastic around the cuffs. Knowing that he was on temporary desk duty, she text Horatio the news and headed over to the Atherton's where Pool Boy had been picked up earlier.

Eric watched Calleigh go, hot on the lead. Feeling much reassured, he returned to the photographs, studying them. He wasn't processing anything, just studying and he'd make certain to let someone know if he found anything so that they could run with it. He knew how things like that worked. The problem was, he couldn't concentrate and it had nothing to do with the bullet in his brain and everything to do with the slender blonde that had so recently caressed a kiss on his cheek.

He mulled over the kiss, playing it and replaying it over and over in his mind. It hadn't been a hallucination and it wasn't his imagination. Calleigh's lips had not just brushed his cheek, but made firm contact; firm, velvety soft contact. Her scent had been intoxicating and overwhelming at that moment and if he had not been taken so off guard, he would have pulled her into his arms for a real lingering, full-lipped kiss that just might have sent her reeling, glass wall be damned. He knew he wasn't making it up because Natalia saw fit to comment on it. He had tried brushing it off and was slightly annoyed that Natalia had even entered and disturbed his contemplation, even more so when he saw what she had for him.

What annoyed him more was the fact that it had given Calleigh the time and space to cool down and distance herself. He didn't want the distance and calm. He wanted to know what prompted that kiss, that intimate contact and not have her try to brush it off, which she would do now if he asked her about it. He was getting tired of dancing and wanted this dance marathon of theirs to come to an end. Calleigh was obviously struggling to keep her feelings for him in check and he knew that just the slightest nudge could send her over the edge and, hopefully, into his arms, where he had wanted her for to be for so long.

Eric would only admit to himself that he had daydreams about Calleigh; about what could be if she returned his feelings for her. It wasn't just that she was beautiful. He'd dated plenty of beautiful women in his life. It wasn't merely that she had a beautiful figure. He'd slept with women that were more curvaceous or better endowed in certain areas that Calleigh obviously was. It was something more, something invisible. It was her intelligence, vivaciousness, enthusiasm and zest for life. Her honesty and loyalty to those she loved constantly amazed him. He knew every time she had gotten one of those late night calls to fetch her dad from a bar. He knew that someone else might not bother anymore and let them send their dad home in a cab. Not Calleigh; she'd pick him up, drive him home and make sure he was going to be alright before she'd even dream of leaving him alone, never mind that she'd be dead on her feet at work the next day and put up an almost convincing facade that she wasn't. That just how she was.

It didn't hurt that she looked the way she did. Thick, silky hair, wide, brilliant green eyes, a sunny smile that was just a shade off of perfect. She had a light dusting of freckles everywhere that he had been able to see, making her creamy skin have a mildly rosy appearance, even in the winter. She was slender, yes, but not emaciated. Her body was toned and fit with well-developed muscles beneath the petal soft skin. She was slender and fit because she worked at it. He'd gone running with her before and she swam with him on a regular basis and she played rugby on a womens' league and there was no doubt in his mind that she'd blow some of the young patrol officers just out of the Academy out of the water if they were put head to head in a fitness challenge. She was a five foot three powerhouse and he knew it.

He had dreamed of what it would be like to be able to hold her in his arms and tell her he loved her and that he wanted to be with no one else but her. Every woman he had dated since meeting Calleigh had been a distraction as he waited to see what, if anything, were to ever develop between them. Her attempted murder showed him that he couldn't wait anymore for a signal that might never come. She loved him; she even said it as she laid her head on his chest the night that he'd been shot. The memory was hazy, but he remembered smiling as he heard her breathe:"I love you" as she drifted off to sleep, unaware that he could hear her soft sigh. She showed him in so many ways over the years how much he meant to her. After Speed's death and his life went spinning out of control, texting random, anonymous women for random, anonymous sex she showed him how much she cared. Despite his desperation to stop the pain, had she tore her clothes off and offered herself to him, he'd have never touched her, and it was only for one reason. He wanted to be lost in the sensation of mindless, animalistic sex, and with Calleigh, he wanted to make love. So, when it came up that his badge and gun had gone missing after a night of toothing, she'd been angry when he told her what he'd done, yet it was tempered with concern that he wouldn't ruin his health by being careless. Then when his life had nearly come undone and he was drowning himself in his own anger and fear, just when he thought he was lost, Calleigh found him and pulled him out and back into life again with her compassion and unending understanding.

His sister, Marisol's bout with cancer and then her brutal death had been the beginning of another possible long spiral into self-destruction, but Calleigh wouldn't let him go there. He didn't remember much about what she did, but he remembered her being there, always a loving, soothing, understanding presence amidst the pain and anguish of losing a loved one.

Their relationship didn't always center on her being there for him. There had been plenty of times when he'd held her up after she had a devastating fall. Hagan killing himself in front of her was one of the most horrific things she'd ever had to personally deal with and he remembered being by her side through it all. He remembered the panic he felt when he saw her huddled in her lab coat, looking small and lost and vulnerable after she'd pulled the alarm and alerted the Lab to an accident. He remembered going to her home that evening and, when she wouldn't open the door for him, he took out his key and let himself in to find her blankly staring at the flickering images on her television screen, tears running silently down her cheeks. She had retreated into a state of shock frighteningly near catatonia. He'd held her all that night long, saying almost nothing; letting her sleep in his embrace. He'd held her more nights after that as she healed from the shock and horror and knew her nightmares from it.

A call involving her father usually signaled upheaval for her and when those occasions occurred, he just showed up on her doorstep with a comedy and some Cuban comfort food. They wouldn't talk about what happened with her dad. But, seeking human comfort and contact, she normally ended up curled up in his arms, more often than not with tears in her eyes for something she had no control over.

But, there were the good times that they spent together. Their relationship was not always revolving around pain. There was the laughing and the teasing and the rush of breaking a case and sending the killer to prison. Eric's Little League's team South Florida Championship win; Calleigh's top time in the Miami-Dade PD Marathon, the satisfying end to a frustrating case, the birth of his first niece, their birthdays, hazing Ryan. These were the good times and although they sometimes didn't seem to, they outnumbered the bad times like the grains of sand on the beach outnumbered the candles on an octogenarian's birthday cake. There was, in truth, more joy than sorrow in their relationship and that's what bonded them and got them through the hard times and the pain.

That's what made Eric want to spend the rest of his life with her; the joy they could bring each other. This is how he could daydream about the first time they would really kiss and the first time they would make tender, gentle love. It would be tender and gentle on his part. He wasn't sure about how much experience Calleigh had because she wasn't given to boasting and gossip, but the first time was the first time and he wanted it to be special. If she wanted something more, then he'd oblige. He had even allowed himself to fanticise about getting down on one knee like a gentleman and propose to her; him lifting her in his arms and spinning her around when she said yes. Their wedding and then later, down the road, her telling him that he was going to be a father...holding their newborn baby girl, no not a boy the first time, but a beautiful baby girl all pale rose and gold like her mother; growing old together.

Eric shook his head, realizing that his pager had been making insistent noises for some time. He checked the ID: Caine. He made his way to Horatio's office and shut the door.

"Sorry it took me so long to answer your page. I was...contemplating some things," Eric said, skirting the subject of his inattention carefully.

"Not whether you belong here, I hope, Eric," Horatio said, swiveling back and forth in his chair.

"No, nothing like that. I know they're only trying to use me as a scapegoat to exclude evidence. Calleigh let me know that," Eric said and then caught himself. Did he mention Calleigh too quickly?

"Good, I'm glad she reassured you. I just want to let you know that I'm having Wakeman disbarred over a separate matter and her assertion that you're unfit for your duties here have been rescinded by the judge. You're free to go back into the field anytime you want."

Eric broke into a silly grin, knowing that the first person he wanted to tell was Calleigh. "Thanks, H. I mean it. I know I didn't do anything wrong here. I know I didn't make any mistakes in processing the evidence, but that hearing sure made it feel like I did. I was beginning to second guess myself."

"I, I hope you were able to stop that, Eric, because we need you around here. You're a good CSI," Horatio said with heartfelt emotion.

"Yeah, I talked to Cal and she filled in the blanks for me. I felt a whole lot better after that. You ought to ask her about it," Eric said, deliberately pointing his boss in Calleigh's direction.

"Maybe I will," Horatio said, becoming slightly more distant. He looked down to shield his eyes from his former brother-in-law. "Don't you have a case in the field to process?"

"Yes, sir!"


	23. Chapter 23

_**Author's note: I had originally planned for this to be longer, but things came up...like my birthday and friends taking me out for it...that it ended up shorter than originally planned. The next one should be longer as it will deal with Born to Kill and all the ramifications at the end of that episode.**_

_**Again, thanks for all the great reviews. **_

_**Tension**_

Eric had waited patiently for Calleigh's next move, even though he had no idea what that could be. Would she kiss him again, maybe on the lips this time? Would she say something about why she kissed him? Would she finally come out and say what was on her mind? He thought she would say something a few days later as they were investigating a house fire where one of the owners had been killed. Even Natalia brought it up to him as he processed a fingerprint that he had found on a piece of broken glass at the crime scene.

"_So, uhm, so Calleigh seems to be taking an interest in you since you got back," Natalia observed. She was dying to know what, if anything was going on between her two friends. Calleigh had certainly been sticking to Eric like glue since he returned to work and they appeared to be closer than ever, heightening the sexual tension that had always existed between them._

"_Yeah," Eric replied, beginning to run the print through AFIS, "She, uh, she's been great; really helpful. Everyone has."_

"_Yeah, not what I really meant, though," she persisted._

"_What?"_

_Natalia realized that she could have actually overstepped her boundaries just then, but she had to know. And, besides, it hadn't been that long since she and Eric were in a relationship. "I, well, uhm, never mind, never mind."_

"_What, you think me and Calleigh?" Eric asked, trying to sound shocked. He knew how observant Natalia was. It was what made her such a good CSI so very fast. Some days he hated working with CSI's._

_Natalia laughed nervously, feeling even more like she'd overstepped herself. But Eric had seemed so happy after that first case when he got back. She knew that he and Calleigh had fought in the locker room that very night; she'd overheard them, and that they were both off the following day. They had both come back much happier and Calleigh so much more relaxed than Natalia had ever seen her. So Natalia had been wondering for weeks if, perhaps they finally gave into that sexual tension and started something."I saw her kiss you."_

_Eric was suddenly very shy, feeling very much like the science nerd that he had been in high school, and had been caught making out with the head cheerleader after the big game. It made his cheeks go red and he laughed nervously."Only on the cheek."_

"_I'm just, you know, saying,' Natalia said as the computer beeped, signaling an AFIS hit and the end to the conversation._

He had thought long and hard after that and waited for Calleigh to acknowledge her action, but she didn't. She acted as if the kiss had never happened. He didn't know if he should feel hurt or not. Then when the arson investigators cleared the house for them, she'd offered to ride with him to the crime scene and his hopes soared. It was only his luck that after finding something urgent in the rubble, she had left to take the evidence back to the Lab for immediate analysis, leaving him there to continue the processing. Within a couple of hours, she returned to help him and she stabbed her finger on a piece of glass from the front door.

"_Ow! Dammit!" Calleigh yelped as a searingly sharp pain lanced through her right index finger. A good inch of sharp glass protruded from her gloved hand._

_Hearing her cry of pain, Eric turned and went to where she was crouched amid the debris. He crouched down very close to her and turned on his flashlight. "What happened?" he asked, concerned. Calleigh had never been injured at a crime scene before._

_She held her hand up higher to show him, the light glinting off the sharp shard in her finger. "This piece of glass."_

_He gently took her hand in his and held up his flashlight so that he could better assess the severity of her injury. It didn't seem too bad, but it was still stuck in her finger tip, not to mention in her glove."Hold on a second. Let me see."_

"_That'll teach me to leap before I look," she said with exasperated humor. Her hand was burning where Eric held it in his, the dull pain of her pierced finger all but ignored. _

"_I got it." Eric gently pulled the shard from her finger and their eyes met, sparking something between them. Eric's hand tingled from the soft weight of hers still cradled there._

_Calleigh felt that something jolt through her body and she could tell that he felt it too. It was only a few seconds, but it felt far longer that they stared into each other's eyes. It was too much, the touch of his hand, his nearness, the smell of his after shave, and she couldn't stand the tension anymore. _

"_Eric," she breathed, then a sound from the arson investigator broke the moment and she knew she couldn't continue. Exasperation made her nearly growl and she resolutely turned her attention back to the investigation._

Again, Eric waited for something, anything to happen. She had been ready to tell him and he knew it. Then, nothing. She again acted like nothing had happened and she seemed like she was avoiding him for the next several days. The only explanation for her unusual actions was that maybe she had scared herself and had to give herself a little space. Eric knew that if had nearly blurted out his feelings for her at a crime scene, he'd need time to pull back and regroup, too.

He had most recently caught her laughing while talking with someone on her cell. It was that easy and almost flirty laughter that turns his insides to putty. When he commenting on how good it was to see her smile that bright and sparkling smile, the one that went from her lips and lit her eyes to a dazzling green, she revealed that she had been speaking to Jake and that he had asked her out. So far she had been turning him down, but one of those times to come, she wouldn't.

Eric felt himself clench inside. Jake Berkeley. The very man that had shattered her heart into million pieces so long ago. The very man she would tense and become very quiet around anytime their paths crossed during an investigation. Now talking to him was making her laugh and smile so brilliantly? It made no sense to him. She seemed to actually be entertaining the idea of going out with him, yet Eric knew that she was in love with him. He'd heard it and she'd shown him so many times. Why now and why Berkeley? He was apparently actively pursuing her again and it made Eric wary. Eric knew Calleigh for too long and far too well to know that Berkeley was going to be a major obstacle for him. Calleigh didn't care too much for the unknown and uncharted. She preferred the routine and predictable. She had once told him that she had had enough unpredictability and upheaval by her eighteenth birthday to never want any more for the rest of her life.

If that was the case, then Berkeley was the routine and predictable. She had already charted his waters and he was a known quantity. And Eric? He was new and novel, and although they trusted each other completely, he was unpredictable and unknown and he was going to have to fight for her, even though he had her heart already.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Turn Out the Lights and What Are You Left With?**_

Frustration, confusion...they were Calleigh's constant companions since having several positive and professional interactions with Jake. Somehow, since making his lateral move to Homicide, he'd managed to worm his way back into her good graces and it was getting increasingly hard to remember the heart shattering pain that he left her in back in New Orleans.

He had been just as charming and fun as she remembered him being and she felt herself being drawn to him once again. He seemed to exhibit a new maturity since joining the department and nearly getting her killed on the docks the previous fall. Their friendship had been rekindled and she was content to let it be so.

Then there was Eric. Eric she loved with all her heart but was finding it almost impossible to tell him exactly that. Eric that she nearly lost four months ago. The same Eric that held her while she cried after nearly being killed in the canal and the Eric that taught her that she didn't need to be afraid of the water. He had even brought her an ice pack after her Kevlar vest caught the bullet from Kornspan's gun and hit her in the chest just where an unvested Speedle caught one and died roughly two years prior. It wasn't a question of whether she loved Eric or not, it was a question of risking their friendship on a romantic relationship.

Jake was making subtle moves of his own to try and rekindle what they had before things went bad in New Orleans. Part of her wanted to go back to him for just the safety of Jake being a known quantity. But did she love him? She wasn't sure. She wasn't sure of any of it at the moment.

She hopped out of the Hummer and crossed the street, ducking beneath the Crime Scene tape and up to the second floor. She flashed her badge at the unfamiliar patrol officer before entering. She glanced back at the fresh faced kid. He didn't look old enough to even drive a car, much less be a police officer. She shrugged and continued inside the apartment. There she found one of the objects of her internal argument, Jake Berkeley, talking with, she was soon to learn Alexis Dawson, the dead girl's roommate. She sighed inwardly. Work first and then think about Jake and Eric.

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Quite a bit later, thinking that they had found the Y killer, Calleigh found herself precariously close to accepting the dangled and much put off dinner date with Jake. She was still struggling with her feelings for him. She knew that she wanted their friendship, but she didn't know if she wanted anything more than that. It was clear that Jake did, just like it was clear to her that she wanted something more with Eric.

She was more torn than ever when Jake's brown eyes sparkled as he mentioned that meal again as she remembered how good things had been when they had been together. She very clearly remembered his touch and the way he made her feel like she was the only person in the world that mattered. She remembered his passion and the trails of fire his lips could leave on her skin. Yet, the hurt had been like dying when they broke up and it was that very thing that cooled her desire to be more than a friend to him again. She was almost grateful when Holly Wade, the Y killer's sister, interrupted, asking where she could post her brother's bail.

Calleigh tried to keep her eyes from bulging out of her head in surprise that someone would want to bail a serial killer out of jail. But, to be fair, she did realize that this was his sister and families did a lot of things for each other that others would never understand. She not only understood, but understood it in spades. As she and Jake walked Ms. Wade inside the building to help clarify things for her about her brother's arrest, Calleigh breathed a sigh of relief that the subject of meal-getting was once again dropped.

Leaving Jake to finish briefing Ms. Wade, she made her way back up to the Lab to finish the final paperwork on the case before giving it to the transporting officer when Wade would be taken to county lock-up.

"Hey, where's the fire?" Eric asked her playfully as she hurried past him.

Calleigh stopped, realizing that she had just been very rude, not even acknowledging Eric's presence. "Oh, hey, Eric. I'm sorry. I just want to get the Lucas Wade paperwork done as fast as possible and get him to lock-up."

All pretense of playfulness disappeared and he eyed her closely. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "Nothing."

"That's bull and you know it," he replied, folding his arm over his chest.

She sighed. "Look, I just want to get Wade out of the building as fast as humanly possible, given the justice system."

"Come into the break room and I'll help you fill out that report and you can tell me more," Eric offered.

Calleigh nodded and lead the way to the break room. Eric got them a couple of soft drinks and sat down at the table across from her, watching her carefully as she wrote furiously, her neat handwriting flowing across the page.

Finally, she put her pen down. "What?" she asked.

"You know what. Tell me what's going on," he prompted and sat back.

She shook her head. "It's dumb, really."

"Calleigh, if it has you this worked up, it can't be all that dumb. This has been a very disturbing case and you are the lead CSI, so spill it," Eric said, worry for her niggling in the back of his mind. She was acting the exact same way that she had when they had Christopher Harwood, the Miami Sniper, in custody several years back. She was bothered by Lucas Wade.

"I just...It's Wade. He gives me the crawlies. I just want him out of here as fast as possible," Calleigh said quickly.

"So this has nothing to do with the fact that you very closely resemble every one of his victims?" Eric said casually and then watched as she struggled with her answer.

Calleigh chewed on her lip while she fought with what she wanted to say. "It doesn't help; no. Look, Eric, if you want to talk more about this, can we do it tonight over dinner or something? I want to get that creep out of the building and in lock-up where he can't hurt anyone."

Eric smiled slightly. "Fair enough; tonight it is because I can see it's bothering you more than you're letting on. And I can tell only because I know you well enough and know where to look."

She allowed a small smile to creep across her lips as she slid her report over to him. "Thanks. Can you read this and let me know if it's coherent?"

He took it and read carefully, noticing details about the case that he didn't know about beforehand. "This isn't just coherent, Cal, it's a dissertation and should be the only thing the prosecutor will need to strap Wade to the chair. This is great work."

Her face lit with one of the largest smiles he'd ever seen. "I really needed that, Eric. Thank you. I am going make multiple copies and then I am going to hand carry this down to holding and put it in the transport officer's hand, myself."

Eric chuckled as he watched her get up and put her soda in the refrigerator. "Determined much?"

"You know it," she replied with a wink before disappearing down the hall.

Eric leaned back and thought about the day thus far. Serial killer caught and soon on his way to county; dinner with Calleigh and some badly needed quality time together. He had already decided that he'd push the subject with her that night. She'd almost broken through her own wall just a few days before and he knew that it would only take a little push to get her to knock the wall all the way down. He just had to plan everything out incredibly carefully if he didn't want her to retreat back inside herself again.

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Calleigh stared at Jake as she handed him the case report. "What do you mean you're the transport officer? They usually send a uniform for the ride."

"Yeah, well, I'm the Homicide detective and since the guy is high profile, they wanted someone higher up to take him," Jake said, wondering why the knowledge was coming very close to freaking her out. "What, you think something is gonna happen?"

"No, it's just...I'm a little surprised, that's all," Calleigh stuttered nervously, watching Wade being loaded into the van and suppressing a shudder when his gaze rested too long on her.

Following her line of sight, Jake noticed how Wade looked at her. He shifted his stance, effectively cutting off Wade's line of sight. "Hey, this guy has got you shook up, doesn't he?"

She shook her head, suddenly glad that Jake never could read her as well as Eric could. "You know serial killers creep me out. They always have."

"That's it?"

She nodded, smiling slightly. "That's it. Now go and get that guy in lock-up and be careful."

"Right, I'll be careful. When I get back, let's talk about that meal," Jake said, studying her. Something more was up with her, but he had no idea what. He knew that he wasn't close enough to her yet to get her to tell him about it. Jake knew she was shaken because she never told him to be careful if he wasn't going undercover.

"Sure." Calleigh said, watching him get in the van, closing the door behind him. It pulled out as an unsettled feeling took root in her stomach. Shaking her head, she turned and went back into the building and up to her lab to do something soothing; clean her gun.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Author's note: Warning! Tissue alert! You might need a few. Hey, Jodie, how does the angst rate?**_

_**Open Up My Hands and Find That They're Empty**_

Eric jumped when his pager went off. Frowning, he looked down to see a _911 Officer Down Escaped Felon _blinking across the screen. Before he could even stand, he saw Horatio take off like a shot. That's when he knew it was bad, very bad. Horatio rarely ran and never through the Lab. As he left Fingerprints, he saw a flash of blonde hair before the stairwell door snicked shut. Calleigh had been at a dead run, her lab coat still around her, the elevator not nearly fast enough.

Eric took the stairs two at a time and came out into the parking structure in time to see two Hummers scream out with lights flashing and sirens already blaring. Getting into his own department vehicle, he glanced down at his pager to get the location of the occurrence and felt his heart tighten. It was the transport van. Wade had escaped.

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Instead of taking the hated and still feared backroads and following Horatio, Calleigh took the Causeway, getting stuck in traffic. She cursed mildly as she veered dangerously around a slow moving vehicle that was apparently being driven by someone both blind and deaf because they were paying no attention to her lights or siren.

"Poor excuse for human DNA," she muttered and, even though she knew the other driver couldn't hear her, she yelled, "Get the hell out of the way, you moron!"

Her heart was hammering in her chest. It was bad enough that Wade was now on the loose, but there was reported that one officer had been killed and the other badly wounded and was en route to the hospital. One of those two had to be Jake and it was all she could do to beat back the anguish and fear and continue to function normally.

"Learn to drive, jackass!"

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Eric was digging out the metal detector from the rear of his Hummer when he heard another vehicle screech to a halt and a very panicked Calleigh shoot from the drivers' seat and hurry over to Horatio. They spoke quietly for a few moments before he saw her relax slightly, as if in relief. She calmly walked back to her Hummer, taking out her phone and dialing.

Eric tried to ignore the searing feeling of jealousy that coursed through him as he witnessed the display. It was obvious to him now why she ran out of the Lab at top speed and why she had been in a state of sheer panic when she arrived. She had known that Jake had been the transport officer and had known that he was either hurt of dead. That, more than anything told him that Calleigh still had feelings for Jake. He wasn't too sure what they were, but he knew that he didn't like them.

Taking the metal detector and closing the rear gate, he began to walk in the direction that Horatio had indicated Wade ran. He had just switched the detector on when Calleigh caught up to him.

"I spoke to the ER and Jake's gonna be alright," Calleigh said casually, entirely unaware of Eric surging jealousy.

Eric found that he couldn't keep it from his voice. "Oh, I'm sure he would love for you to go visit him in the hospital." Once he said it, he regretted even opening up his mouth.

Eric's tone caught Calleigh completely off guard and she found herself irritated at him and not just a little hurt. He knew that she and Jake had renewed their friendship, nothing more. And why on earth was he acting like a jealous lover?

She paused before she spoke because she didn't want to say the wrong thing and have what could be an argument escalate and spiral out of control. "Yeah, you know what? I came to see you at the hospital, too."

Eric looked up from the ground and into her eyes, seeing the hurt. _What did she have to be hurt about? He didn't have some ex chasing after him. _"Yeah, well that was different," he said bitterly. He wanted her to finally tell him how she felt or be receptive to him telling her how he felt because if they continued to play this game they were playing much longer it was going to end up with one or the other or both of them getting hurt.

"It is different because you and I work together," she said as if it honestly made any difference in her feelings for him, which it didn't because she couldn't deny that she loved him more than her life. She just couldn't seem to tell him that.

Eric wouldn't let it go. He was going to push just a little harder. "You work with Jake, too."

"He's in Homicide; you and I are in the Lab day and night," Calleigh said exasperatedly. She ached to tell him how she felt about him, but there never seemed to be a good time. They were at a crime scene, of all places. She softened her voice. "You know I trust you with my life. I don't even know how I feel about Jake yet."

The sincerity of her words washed over him, making the jealousy recede. Yeah, he did know how she felt about him. He knew, to her, trust was bigger than love because you could love someone without trusting them. You couldn't trust someone without loving them. Looking into her eyes, he could see that it was the truth and just for a second, maybe she didn't know it, but he saw love in her eyes.

Eric gave her a slight smile. "Yeah, well, maybe we should get back to work."

Calleigh gave him a slight smile in return and that love flashed once more before her entire demeanor changed to a professional one and they continued to search for evidence.

They parted their ways as he took his vehicle and she hers, not to meet up until after Wade's accomplice was found and Calleigh, with Alexx's expert help, discovered that while Lucas Wade killed the three young women in Boston and Shelly Seaver from that morning, he did not kill Jennifer Royce. Lindsey Wade, his sister did. Horatio had gone to arrest her for the murder but, instead, found her a victim in her own right. For some inexplicable reason, Lucas had taken her daughter, Holly.

Calleigh watched Eric for a long while before asking for an explanation of what he was doing. Satisfied that it was no more than his best, she returned to her photographing.

"I have a hard time feeling sorry for her since she killed Jennifer Royce; and I think she's probably covering for him," Calleigh said casually, snapping a photo of the broken door frame.

Eric just stared at her, not believing how callous she sounded just then. "He has her little girl, Calleigh."

Unfazed and completely able to compartmentalize it all away, she replied, "Yeah, but still; she's a murderer."

Eric felt himself become irritated with her. How could she be so cold and unfeeling? Holly was only a little kid and was probably scared out of her mind. "Family psychologies run deep. They make you do things you never thought you were capable of."

Hearing his tone of voice, Calleigh stopped taking pictures and thought back. She never thought Eric would cross the line into illegal territory and buy drugs, but he had. They weren't for him, but his sister, Marisol who used them to keep the nausea from her chemotherapy at bay. His love for his sister made him do a thing that he knew to be wrong and he was entirely willing to take the fall for it when he was caught. His dedication to those he loved knew no bounds. She softened her voice. "Yeah, you're right. Do you mind finishing up here? I'm going to go check on something."

He looked up at her. There it was again; love."Yeah, I'll collect the little girl's things."

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It had nearly driven him crazy, not being able to find anything to tell him where Lucas had taken Holly. Lucas Wade was a known serial killer. Granted, killing little girls was not his way, but who knew what he'd do? He was an escaped felon and could use his niece as a hostage.

He had almost kissed Natalia when she noticed the receiver for the child locater on Holly's shoe. He let Horatio know and then the next two new bits of information hit almost simultaneously. Wolfe had pulled Wade over a few years back and remembered where it had been and that Lindsey Wade had killed before. She had killed her little sister, Emma, and then blamed it on Lucas because of the extra Y chromosome. That was an accident. Jennifer Royce was not.

He and Horatio had torn out of the Lab at top speed, locating both Lucas and Holly just before he could get the boat away from the dock. The child was completely unharmed and not even frightened. She had no idea what both her mother and uncle were. Lucas was taken into custody and Eric had handed little Holly off to Child Services.

Now, however, after all the excitement, he found himself finishing logging in all the evidence from the case. A flash of gold caught his attention and he looked up just as Calleigh passed the evidence locker on her way to the elevator.

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Calleigh found herself immensely satisfied. Not one, but two killers behind bars and it wasn't even the end of her shift. She signed off on her report just as her cell rang.

"Duquesne," she said, leaning back in her chair, already choosing which firearm to test in the McWilliams case.

"Don't you sound all pleased with yourself," Jake's voice said.

Relief flooded through her at the sound of his voice; his healthy and hearty voice. Although she really didn't know exactly how she felt about Jake, she knew she still cared about him. She had been horribly frightened when they got the call about the transport van. It threw her back to the afternoon when she'd gotten the alert that Eric had been shot. The fear had been very similar, but not nearly as intense. She needed to figure out her feelings and fast before something happened and she'd regret it. "You don't sound too bad, yourself. When are they letting you out?"

"I'm already out. In fact, I'm on my way up to see you right now. I know how you are," Jake said smoothly, teasingly.

She couldn't help but smile as she replied just as teasingly, "Oh yeah? And just how am I?"

"You'll lose sleep until you know I'm fine," he said, unknowingly hitting a soft spot.

Calleigh rose, slipping off her lab coat and heading for the door. "I'll meet you by the elevator." She closed the connection and moved down the hall, passing the evidence locker just as the elevator doors opened and Jake stepped out, straightening his tie.

"See, I'm all in one piece," he said softly, forcing her to come within a hair's breath of him to hear his voice.

"You don't look too bad," she said equally as softly, unprepared for the onslaught of emotion that rammed through her. Yes, she definitely had feelings for him and she didn't realize them until that very moment. She knew she still cared about him and it wasn't until she saw him in front of her with the bandaged cut over his left eye did she truly realize that she could have lost him forever. "It sounded like you were really banged up."

"What, were you worried?" He gave her that lopsided grin that always used to melt her.

She looked down. "Of course I was worried. You could have been killed."

"Hey, I didn't get away without a scratch, you know," he said. He could smell her perfume and her nearness was intoxicating. He wanted her back so badly it had hurt. She was within touching distance and his entire body ached for just the touch of one small, slender finger. He pointed to another scrape on his chin. You could hardly see it and he knew that she'd just have to touch him to find it.

Calleigh squinted to where he pointed and gently cupped his jaw and then suddenly his hand was in her hair and his lips crashed down on hers, capturing them. The world went silent and she was helpless as her mind went to white noise and her body betrayed her with a passion that she'd forgotten she had. Her head burned where he cupped it and her lips craved more, dreaming of Eric. Eric. Suddenly her mind began to work again and the world came crashing back in.

What was she doing? She and Jake were in the middle of the Lab and someone could see them. Not only that, but this was not Eric, but Jake. Jake Berkeley whom she did...not...love. She pushed at his chest forcefully enough to get him away from her. She had to get out and clear her head. Things were rapidly going from bad to worse and she was beyond disturbed by how her body had just responded.

Without a word, she shoved past him and got on the elevator. Only when she looked back into the Lab before the doors closed did she notice that Eric was standing in the evidence locker. The shattered look on his face told her that he had seen everything. She knew that look because she had felt what he felt and the guilt that lanced through her was nearly as painful. She tried to convey that to him, but she knew she failed miserably. If anything, he looked even more hurt. She tried to give him a slight smile but it wouldn't come.

It was a miracle that she held it all in until she got to the beach. She didn't even get out of her car before the tears began coursing down her cheeks. She gripped the steering wheel with both hands as she rested her forehead on it.

What had she done? Seduced by her own concern for Jake's safety and well-being, she had been lead into...into what? It had been a single kiss. But it had not been that chaste, gentle kiss that she had placed on Eric's cheek those few weeks ago. This one was unexpected and full of passion and she was thoroughly ashamed of herself for allowing herself to find pleasure in it. Her feelings were in confusion. She was never good with them anyway and now it came back to bite her hard. If it had just been her, she would have dealt with it and moved on. But, no, nothing concerning her and Jake had ever been simple. With one, simple and unexpected kiss, she had shattered Eric's heart and probably destroyed his trust and their friendship. Because her body blindly responded to Jake's, she knew she'd lost the most precious thing in the world to her, Eric. And that was a pain that would kill her.

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Eric couldn't look away. It was like watching a train wreck. They kept getting closer and closer and then his mouth was on hers and she didn't push him away. She didn't slap him. She leaned into the kiss, seemingly deepening it. Eric felt not only his heart, but his world shatter into a million pieces and yet he couldn't look away.

He felt sick to his stomach as he watched her push away from Jake and almost run into the elevator. Then their eyes met and he knew Calleigh was lost to him. The pain and guilt she carried in them told him that she'd run away from him and hide. Part of him wanted to run after her, but a bigger part of him wanted to never lay eyes on her again.

He watched as Berkeley pushed the button and stood there, looking confused. Didn't he get it? Calleigh was being Calleigh and she'd run rather than deal with her emotions. Besides, didn't Berkeley know that Calleigh had just made her choice and he had won?

Heart torn and bleeding and his world completely destroyed, Eric turned resolutely back to his work, wanting to hide all the pain and anger in meticulous cataloging because he couldn't face the pain right then, not in the Lab with his colleagues there. Not while he was so raw that if anyone made comment on his mood he's have to be arrested for assault and battery.

Putting his head down and continuing with his work there was only one thing he was certain of. He'd lost the most precious thing in the world to him: Calleigh. And that was a pain that would kill him.


	26. Chapter 26

_**Feeling Betrayed**_

Eric's cell rang and he snatched it from his belt, recognizing the caller immediately. With a low growl, he placed it back on his belt, ignoring the incessant ringing. There was no way in hell that he wanted to talk to her just then. Not then and possibly not ever again. He knew that never speaking to Calleigh again was an absolute impossibility because they worked together. The same reason she gave him for not pursuing a different relationship; they worked together day and night in the Lab.

"Hey," Natalia greeted as she breezed in with bags of evidence. She deposited them on the counter in front of Eric.

"Hey," he said absently. He really was in no mood for company at that point, but he didn't feel like taking it out on Natalia.

"Alright, what's wrong?" Natalia asked. Eric had been so buoyant a few hours ago. What had happened?

"Nothing's wrong, Natalia. I'm just busy," Eric snapped.

"Uh-huh. I'm not buying it. Eric, talk to me." Natalia said firmly. "I know something is wrong and I'm not leaving until you tell me and if you try leaving, I'm going to follow you where ever you go until you talk. So, to avoid any awkwardness in the Mens' bathroom, talk."

Eric shook his head. Her persistence and loyalty to those she cared about was what Eric normally liked in Natalia. Today it irritated the crap out of him. "I don't want to talk about it so you can just have a seat and a long stay."

Natalia pulled up a stool and leaned her elbows on the lab table, fixing him with a hard stare. "Talk. This has something to do with Calleigh, doesn't it?"

"Why would it have anything to do with her?" he asked sharply, betraying his emotions yet again.

"Because for the last six months, she's the only thing that you get this hot and bothered over," Natalia observed. "What happened between you two? Did you argue?"

"No, nothing happened. She's already gone for the day. She left a while ago while I was cataloging evidence from the case," Eric said, unaware that he hadn't been the only one that had seen the kiss and had been shocked by it.

Natalia nodded. She had been in DNA at the same time, finishing a report. For some reason she had looked up at the moment that Jake had stepped out of the elevator. She saw Calleigh approach him and then he took her in his arms and gave her the most passionate kiss that she had seen in a long while. It rivaled those in the daytime soaps, but she could tell, as Calleigh pushed him away, that something was wrong. Calleigh had every appearance in her body language that she was upset and didn't appreciate the kiss. From the way she had bolted into the elevator just as it was closing, something very big was very wrong and Natalia prayed that Eric was out on call or somewhere else in the Lab where he couldn't see what had happened. It would kill him.

Now she knew that he had witnessed the same scene, but probably had interpreted it differently. It was no secret to her that he and Calleigh had feelings for each other. She tried teasing him lightly in order to get him to confide, but he never did. She saw the way that Calleigh had looked at him when he first returned to duty and she noticed that the blonde's eyes followed him everywhere he went. Why others in the Lab hadn't caught on was beyond her.

What was most important at the moment was trying to ease the man that was slowly and surely shattering in front of her. She had to do something because his pain was a sharp as broken glass and as bright as any of the neon signs on Collins. "I saw it, too," she said quietly then waited for his reaction.

"Yeah, well, it's her business. I just wish she'd keep it out of the Lab," Eric said bitterly.

"It didn't look like she intended for it to happen, Eric. Give her a break; that's just not like Calleigh," Natalia defended.

"No, you're right. Calleigh hides her feelings, only giving you tantalizing glimpses of them and then tucks them away again. She keeps herself professional at all times and won't let anyone see her as anything but. Calleigh won't entertain the concept of relationships in the Lab because we work together day and night, yet, Jake is in Homicide and that's different even thought she said she doesn't know how she feels about him yet. Well I've figured that out. She kissed him and it was for all the Lab to see," Eric spat, his tone full of angst. He realized that he had given away more than he intended to and he didn't care if Natalia knew, she seemed to already.

Natalia felt that she needed to defend Calleigh because that wasn't what she saw. She saw a woman that was concerned over an old friend's/old beau's medical condition after he'd been hurt in a car accident. She also saw the said friend/ex-beau take total advantage of the situation and the concern and step out of line. "Did you ever think he might have taken advantage of her? He had been pretty banged up and had been taken to the hospital. He and Calleigh have known each other for a long time. He knew exactly how to get under her skin and it worked. To me, though, she didn't seem to welcome it and it upset her."

"Why are you defending her?" Eric demanded.

"Because every story has two sides and I'm an impartial observer. Look, you're both my friends and I don't want to see you hurting like this. But don't you think she's upset, too? Maybe she saw you in the evidence locker and realized that you saw her. You both have strong feelings for each other. Maybe she could be hurting, too. After you calm down, why don't you talk to her? You can work through this."

"What if I don't want to?" Eric said. "What if she's made her choice and is only upset because it was so public? I'm not ready to say anything to her. Not tonight and not when she comes in tomorrow."

"You didn't hear? Calleigh took a sudden leave of absence. She's gone for the next two weeks. She told Horatio that the case got to her, but I can't believe that and I know Horatio doesn't either. This is personal. Please go over to her place and talk, or shout and throw things. You have to work it out, Eric. There's too much at stake," Natalia said, her tone soft and soothing.

"I'll think about it," Eric said, already feeling calmer. In the heat of the situation he hadn't even thought about how Calleigh might have been feeling during the entire exchange. The look on her face from the elevator could have been a try at an apology; it could have been an invitation to talk. He knew it was too soon, though and he still needed time. "Maybe in a couple of days when I've had time to sort things out. Thanks, 'Talia."

"Anytime."

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Eric never had that talk with Calleigh because in those couple of days he needed to cool off, he'd learned that she'd gone on vacation to Antigua and she wasn't alone. Jake Berkeley was with her. The pain of the day at the elevator crashed back in and Eric found himself leaving the the Lab with no explanation. He needed fresh air and time to grieve his lost love and possibly lost friend because he wasn't certain that they even had that left anymore. He walked the short distance to a park and concealed himself in the cool and soothing green of a small thicket. He sat on the bench and, not for the first time, put his head in his hands and let the tears slip silently down his cheeks. Heartbreak. A perfect word to describe how he felt. Time passed and the tears dried. His pager went off. Some guy jumped from a high rise. Time to go back to work.


	27. Chapter 27

_**Note: Sorry this one is so short, but I hope it's satisfying for all of you angst fans out there. Staying in canon, I needed to try to find the fill-in between seasons 5 and 6 and a decent explanation as to why Calleigh let Eric drop and why she'd even go off on a vacation with Jake without making her absolutely loathsome. I hope it works alright.**_

_**Thanks to everyone for the reviews and now that we have more season 6 episodes, maybe we can have some on screen hiphugginess. **_

_**Don't Know Why**_

Calleigh spent the past two and a half weeks trying to figure out why she let Jake kiss her like he did outside Reception and why she allowed herself to break Eric's heart. She knew she did as she looked back at him from inside the elevator and her own heart shattered right there. Jake. Four little letters that she'd allowed to screw up her entire world.

After finally being calm enough to drive herself home from the beach, Calleigh had called Horatio and asked for time off. He had agreed, but there was a distinct note of concern for her in his voice. She had never asked for time off so abruptly and hadn't taken a vacation in years. She had assured him that she was fine and made up a little white lie about the last case getting to her a little and she needed time to decompress. That seemed to content him and he granted her the time only after being reassured by her that she was fine.

She was anything but. The more that she thought about going in to the Lab and having to face Eric the worse she felt. She had hurt him in a way that she knew he'd never be able to forgive. She had destroyed their friendship all in the time it took to kiss. All they had left, really, was their professional relationship and that could even be on rocky grounds.

While she had been drowning in her agony, Jake had called and said that he already heard that she had taken time off due to the Y Killer case and had said that he was worried about her. He offered to come to her place and keep her company, which she politely declined saying that she was tired and wanted to get some rest. The gentleness and concern in his voice made her tears return to the surface and she fought to keep her voice steady as she ended their conversation. Why did he have to be so sweet when he was the catalyst for the destruction of something so precious to her?

She stared at the phone in her hand and dialed Eric's cell. It rang several times, only voicemail answering. Calleigh hung up, unable to bring herself to leave a message. It was far too early for Eric to turn his cell off and she knew that the caller ID would tell him it was her. He wasn't picking up because he didn't want to talk to her. If Jake had heard about her vacation at PD, then it had to be all over the Lab and Eric had to know. The Eric from that morning wouldn't have just called, but come by to see if she was alright, or needed anything, or just wanted company. Now there was a stone wall of silence between them and Calleigh had no one to blame but herself.

Too miserable to eat or sleep, she spent the rest of the night and up through the dawn staring blankly at whatever television show was on and didn't move until a soft knock sounded from her front door. Exhausted, she answered it to find Jake standing on her threshold. When he saw her angst riddled appearance, he mistook the meaning and enfolded her in his arms, kicking the door shut behind him. Overcome by the warmth of his embrace and her body aching from lack of affection, the last of Calleigh's resolve broke and she dissolved into tears, burying her face in his chest. He held her, stroking her hair, rubbing her back until she calmed.

"You need to get away from here," he had said, still holding her. Numbly, she nodded, agreeing to a vacation in Antigua.

It had started out just as friends, but one evening during their second week, Jake had taken her out to a fine dinner with dancing and, for the first time, laughter. She had finally begun to feel better...or perhaps it was the rum flavored lightly with vanilla, that got her to relax. She wasn't drunk by any means. She never allowed herself to have more than what would be considered social and far from enough to cloud her judgment.

That was when Jake told her that he still had feelings for her; that he never actually stopped caring about her. He hadn't realized that until she stormed into the warehouse with what seemed like half the Miami-Dade police department the previous fall and knocked him flat on his face and cuffing him. He told her that he knew that he needed to make what happened between them all those years ago right and to that end, he chose a lateral move to Homicide. He said that he was done with undercover if only she would give them another chance.

He had sounded so sincere and had been nothing but a perfect gentleman up to that point that she agreed to give them another try. She reasoned that if it was finished before it could even have the possibility of a start with Eric, then she'd try for happiness with Jake. He was at least a known quantity and she knew what to expect. No new territory and no surprises.

So now, two and a half weeks later, she hefted her kit and strode inside the crime scene, eyes landing on Eric, greeting him. She cringed inwardly at the ice that formed in his words. He knew, then that she was with Jake. She could see the hurt radiating off of him and the fine, thin scab that had grown slowly over her own wound split open and a dull throbbing pain returned. Regaining his trust was going to be an uphill battle, then and she wasn't exactly certain she had the strength to do it.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Author's note: I am an idiot. I was rereading the story last night to find some inspiration to finish this chapter when I saw that chapter 7 had only half posted. So, being anal and an idiot, I tried to fix it, which only made things worse so I just deleted the entire story and reposted it, switching the last two chapters around for better flow. My biggest regret is that, in deleting the story, I also ended up deleting all you wonderful reviews. Okay, going to back and kick myself in the head one more time. **_

_**Dangerous Son**_

Calleigh shook her head as she walked away from Jake. She hated it when he called her "Officer Pretty" or something equally as inane, but it seemed to make him happy. She steeled herself as she walked into the living room and saw Eric pulling a bullet out of the wall. Guilt crashed back into her and she knew that it was going to be hard.

"Hey, Eric," she said as brightly as she could.

He stiffened slightly at the sound of her voice and turned to look at her even though he knew that the sight would break his heart again. She looked beautiful and rested and...tanned. She normally stayed out of the sun because she always claimed that she didn't tan; she burned. "Nice tan," he commented tightly.

Hearing the condemnation in his voice, she forced herself to sound bright and happy. "Five days in Antigua; first vacation I've had in a long time."

He wanted her to know that he had found out about her and Jake's little vacation together when she _didn't even know how she felt about Jake yet_. "Yeah, saw Jake outside. Got the same tan."

Calleigh's smile faltered and she realized that Eric had been hurt worse than she'd feared. Hiding her reaction, she busied herself pulling on gloves. When she looked up, Eric was headed for her with an evidence bag and something inside. Work was good. Work was easier to talk about anyway. "What did you get from the wall?"

Eric handed her the bag, relieved to have their conversation begin to revolve around work issues. "Two rounds. Think it might be .45 caliber."

Calleigh turned the bag in her hand, getting a good look at the bullet from all angles. "It's a .40. No lans and grooves."

Despite the pain lodged in the center of his heart, he found himself once again captivated and fascinated by Calleigh's encyclopedic knowledge of firearms and bullets. "What does that mean?"

Trying to keep herself from shivering at Eric's proximity, Calleigh continued, "It's from an HK or a Glock. You don't see it very often. You find any casings?"

Falling back into the easy rhythm of work, he replied, "No, the shooter must have scooped them both up."

She nodded in agreement. "You brought the electrostatic dust lifter." She let the admiration she felt for his thoroughness be very evident in her voice. She honestly wouldn't have thought to bring it.

Eric let himself feel a little rush of pleasure at her unabashed praise. She was still his senior colleague and praise from her was almost like praise from Horatio. He hadn't gotten many of those praise-filled moments since coming back to work. Most days were still filled with anxiety that he'd screw up somewhere and have to take the fall for tainting evidence. "Yeah, there's a decent shoe print over there by marker three."

Curiosity piqued, Calleigh moved off to look at the shoe print and couldn't help but exclaim, "OOo! That is a nice one! There's a very clear wear pattern on the heel...Do you mind if I lift it?" She realized that she just might have overstepped her boundary with Eric. He was there first and the print was his to lift.

Eric decided that it was nice to see Calleigh genuinely excited over a case again. She had been so bogged down before. Maybe it had been a good idea for her to have a little vacation, even if it had been with Jake. "No, go right ahead."

Calleigh busied herself with lifting the shoe print, making small talk about the case. It wasn't long before they fell into the easy rhythm of processing a scene, tension and personal issues laid aside for the sake of the victim.

They each finished their own processing in semi-easy silence, Eric finishing and leaving before Calleigh. Finally, Calleigh finished her end of the processing and began to make her way back toward the Hummer.

"Calleigh, wait," Jake called.

Calleigh stopped and waited patiently in the shade for him to catch up to her. "You need something, Detective Berkeley?"

He jogged up next to her. "I know what I want, but that's just not something I can have right now."

"Hey, not at work. I've told you about that," she admonished, although it made her feel good to attract that kind of attention.

"Are you finished processing?" he asked, taking the reprimand lightly.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"So, where are you going?" he asked, taking a chance by stepping in closer and covertly rubbing her arm, tickling her ever so slightly on the sensitive spot inside her wrist.

She felt her pulse quicken slightly and her eyes began to flutter closed. Despite, or perhaps because of the reaction she was beginning to have, Calleigh took a step back, shifting her evidence case to the other hand, thus removing her wrist from his reach. "I'm going back to the Lab to analyze the evidence. You know, my job?"

"Oh, your job," he mused playfully.

Before he could move in on her again, she stepped further away and began stowing everything in the rear of the Hummer. "I'll let you know if I find anything you can run on."

"I'll be counting the minutes," he called as she got in and drove away. It still amazed him that he could still elicit such a strong response in her with such a light touch. He had thought that he would have had to work a great deal harder to relocate all the right places on her. He was already looking forward to the evening.

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Calleigh ended up spending a great deal of time digging through the evidence, which took her mind completely off Eric and Jake both. She was so engrossed in her work that her cell ringing startled her. She looked at the caller ID _Berkeley. _"Oh, great," she groaned, answering. "Duquesne."

"Hey there, beautiful. I just wanted you to know that we've found the getaway boat. Care to take a ride with me to secure it?" he asked smoothly, hoping that she'd agree so they could steal a little personal time with her.

There was a short pause. "Uhm, yeah, sure. Give me a few minutes to put my evidence away and I'll meet you out front."

"It's a date," he replied, hanging up quickly so she couldn't respond.

Calleigh rolled her eyes and shut her phone, replacing it in her back pocket. Butterflies zinged in her stomach at the thought of having to ride with Jake alone. She wasn't ashamed of their relationship, but she was uneasy with it around the Lab. Eric was obviously still smarting pretty hard and without Ryan as a buffer things were bound to be difficult. She didn't want to involve Natalia since she and Eric had a history. She couldn't avoid Eric, either. She sighed, putting the last of her evidence away. Why couldn't life be simple sometimes?

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The minute she saw the boat she knew she needed help. It was just not going to be possible for her to take the engine apart if it was necessary. "Jake, call Transpo and see if you can get this moved to the garage, will you? I'm going to start processing."

Taking off her shoes and rolling up her pant legs, Calleigh slogged through the water and climbed up on the boat. As soon as she was aboard, she pulled out her phone and hit Eric's speed dial. "Hey, Eric, they found the boat from this morning. I'm really going to need your help processing it."

"Where are you?" Eric asked, already grabbing his kit.

"On the boat. It's a pretty high end cigarette boat and I'm just not up on the technology if something comes up," she admitted before giving him her location. "Thanks. I'll see you in a few."

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Eric could hear Jake arguing with someone over the phone.

"We found the getaway boat and you guys keep jerking me around," Jake growled. "Yeah, well you said that the last time I called. Well my dog could have towed the thing back to the garage by now."

"That the getaway boat?" Eric asked, trying not to smirk. Jake had to be arguing with Transpo. Those guys lived to give all of them a hard time.

"Okay, bye; let me know." Jake hung up the phone. "It is. Patrol found it drifting."

Eric concentrated on Calleigh collecting evidence. "There's no sign of the driver?"

Jake felt no need to hide his disgust and annoyance with the towing guys. "Nope and we're fourth in line at the tow yard so it's gonna take a couple of hours."

Eric couldn't help it. He had to needle Berkeley. "How was Antigua?"

_How did he know? Did Calleigh tell him? _He opted for the short answer, unable to keep his eyes from looking over at Calleigh. "It was nice."

Eric shook his head as Jake's cell rang and walked over to the boat. "Calleigh, what have you got?"

She held the small object up so he could see it. "A .40 caliber casing. Same casing as you pulled from the wall at the crime scene."

He nodded. "S.W.A.T.'s incident report indicates that he fired one round from the boat. What the hell happened to it?"

Calleigh turned the mangled casing around so he could see all the sides. "I don't know. It was crushed by something on the boat."

"The only thing that could do that kind of damage would be the engine," Eric observed. "But why would you ride with the hatch open? It just causes extra drag."

She thought about it hard for a few seconds. She hadn't looked into the engine compartment yet. Throwing him a significant look, she leaned over and opened the hatch, revealing the engine...and something else. Calleigh leaned even farther into the compartment, reaching in to retrieve a small baggy with white powder inside. She held it up excitedly. "Hey mama! Maybe because you need to get to your drug stash?"

"Hello." Eric smiled up at her as they found themselves falling back into an easy working relationship.

Their ease was broken when Jake called out. "Hey, ran the numbers on our boat; it's registered to a business. The Miss Cafe."

Eric looked up at Calleigh, the sun just beginning to pink her skin, the wind whipping her hair; he found that he just couldn't be angry then. He knew that he wanted to start over, have a second chance. He wondered if she wanted one, too. "The kid I talked to, Kyle, got a job at that place." His next words were heavy with meaning. "Maybe the owner believes in second chances."

The significance of his words rang loud and clear to Calleigh. Her response was equally as laden as the guilt returned with an unwanted heaviness in her stomach. "Unfortunately, not everybody deserves one."

She meant herself.


	29. Chapter 29

_**Note: Thanks so much for all of your patience while you waited for me to get on with the updates. I needed to wait for the Season 6 dvd set to come out so I didn't screw up on any really good E/C moment simply because I missed it because I forgot that that was the episode that it was in. So, with my dvd ready in the player, here we go!**_

_**Awkwardness**_

**Eric's POV:**

It was going to be hard and Eric knew it. After the excitement of finding out that H had a sixteen year old son that he knew nothing about died down, Eric found himself at odds with himself about how much time he wanted to be in Calleigh's presence. She was still a powerful draw for him, but he couldn't get past the ache in his heart every time he saw a flash of her silky blonde hair or hear her bubbly laugh.

Being around her on a crime scene was relatively easy since they had a long established rhythm of working with and around each other and her renewed romantic relationship with Jake didn't affect it. He wasn't a CSI and outside of getting details to them and from them, he left when they began processing the scene. Besides, his job was to mostly interact with H, which he seemed to be going out of his way to do. It seemed like Calleigh's penchant for keeping personal life and professional life separate was coming in to play and Eric couldn't be happier about it.

He broke out of his musings as Natalia entered carrying a compound bow. A high school senior was killed while cheering his girlfriend on at a swim meet earlier in the day. "What do you have?" he asked mildly.

"The murder weapon. Calleigh just determined that from the striae on the arrow shaft. The launchers leave unique marks just like a gun barrel. This one's markings match the arrow pulled out of Luke Selyan," Natalia said, holding the bow out to him. "I'm done swabbing it for DNA and I'm running it through CODIS. That's going to take time so I thought I'd see if I can jump it to the head of the line in here. Any luck with that?"

Eric couldn't help but smile at her. She was probably the most earnest newbie CSI he'd seen in a long while. He knew that some of the techs still gave her a hard time about the mole thing a while back, but, at least in his eyes, she more than made up for it and gave 100 percent in every case. Her enthusiasm was entirely contagious and losing himself in that contagion made the ache in his heart fade just a little. "Sure, why not? I'm just going over things that can wait a bit. Let's see if we can get anything off the bow."

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Eric sat back, watching the prints he'd pulled up run through AFIS when he got a page from Calleigh. Ryan was in with some evidence from their case. He'd already heard that Ryan was playing bodyguard to Candace Walker, they cyberstalking victim and girlfriend to the murdered boy. Calleigh wanted to meet him in the hallway with some information. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for seeing her, He rose and went to see what she wanted.

"Yeah, Calleigh, you said you had information," Eric said, falling in step with her.

She glanced up at him. "I thought you might want to know that Ryan was attacked while protecting Candace."

"Is he okay?" he asked, concern for his former and hopefully returning colleague flooding his voice. Suddenly, he was very glad that he answered Calleigh's page.

"I think so; he's here and says he has evidence for us," she replied. "I don't know, Eric. I really hope he's alright and shouldn't have needed to go to the hospital instead of coming in here. I know he wants to be back here so badly that he can taste it, but..."

"Yeah."

They fell silent as they climbed the short flight of stairs that lead to a private interview room. Ryan was sitting comfortably at the table waiting for them.

"Wow, so it takes two CSI's to process someone these days. You guys must be more desperate to get me back than I thought," Ryan teased.

"Come on, Ryan, I heard about the attack and I wanted to make sure you were alright,' Eric said seriously. Ryan looked alright, but looks could be deceiving. He had to make sure.

A small smile played around Ryan's lips as he replied, "That's very sweet of you. The guy did get the jump on me but he didn't get away scott free." He held up his hand, showing it to Calleigh, whom he already seemed to have established a warmth with.

She was already pulling on gloves. "Whatcha got?"

His smiled broadened. "I've got DNA from our attacker."

Eric could hear the admiration in her voice when she spoke. He missed the time when that same warmth and admiration laced her voice when she spoke to him.

"That's a nice get, Ryan," Calleigh said, swabbing under Ryan's fingernails. "You know if the DNA of the attacker matches the DNA of Luke Selyan's killer, you just broke the case."

"I just broke the case," Ryan repeated in what sounded to Eric like he was trying to flirt with Calleigh.

What the hell was with him today? He couldn't concentrate and he was finding his emotions just way out of line. Was it always going to be like this when he got around Calleigh? This was a work related situation. She was gathering evidence from under a victim's fingernails. Granted, the vic was still alive and one of their friends, but...

He covered his growing discomfort with a laugh that sounded very forced to his ears. "Not bad, Wolverine. You couldn't have grabbed a handful of hair just in case?"

Ryan didn't sound amused at all. "That would be funny if the girl wasn't assaulted."

Eric could have kicked himself. He was acting like a jerk, like how he remembered himself being sometimes before the bullet buried itself in his brain. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. See you later."

He beat a hasty retreat, but not before hearing Calleigh remark that to not mind his teasing and that everyone was looking forward to Wolfe's eventual reinstatement. Again the warmth and affection she showed Ryan so openly ate at him. He knew that their estrangement was hard on the both of them and he wished he could get past the kiss that he witnessed and could forget the knowledge that Calleigh and Jake had gone on vacation together and had every appearance of being in a relationship. He mentally kicked himself for the millionth time in the last several weeks for not pushing Calleigh harder and not being more up front about his feelings for her. He might have just opened the door and Jake had taken the opportunity and walked through it.

He made his way back to his lab and checked in with his AFIS search. Nothing had turned up. The prints found no correspondence in the database. Eric sighed, frustration and a feeling of being entirely out of control of anything taking over. He checked his watch, noting that it was about time for his therapist's appointment and, for once, was glad.

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Eric drove home in silence after leaving his appointment. His therapist wanted him, initially, to talk about issues related to his recovery, but Eric quickly steered her away and into what was bothering him with his feelings toward Calleigh. It had taken a long time, but she made him see that if he loved Calleigh as much as he thought he did, he'd be happy for her if Jake made her happy. Calleigh and Jake's relationship wasn't set in stone and could easily end as easily as it could as become something more lasting. Their past had been turbulent and if it ended, Eric would kick himself if his and Calleigh's friendship hadn't been repaired and he wasn't there for her. Natalia's words on how that one kiss so many weeks ago could have affected Calleigh as well and they both knew that Calleigh was a master at putting up walls and fronts and could hide like a chameleon if she didn't want you to see what was really going on.

So, Eric decided, no matter how much he was hurting, he was going to try and get past the pain and try to rebuild his friendship with Calleigh. He'd rather do that than lose her forever.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Note: Again, thank you for all of your patience. It's faboo having the episodes at my fingertips again so that I can keep the stories coming as quickly as possible with as much in depth accuracy as I can possibly write.**_

_**Rebuilding**_

Eric figured that it had to be right then or never to begin reconnecting with Calleigh, so, on his way into the Lab, he stopped and picked them both up cups of cafe Cubano and some eggs and chorizo from La Unica, their favorite place to eat in Little Havana. He had learned that with a few special things, the way to her heart could be through her stomach. Striding into the break room he found her looking over a case file and sipping on lab coffee. Suddenly he was very glad that he had stopped. He couldn't wait to see her smile.

"I can't let you drink that," Eric said, gently removing the cup from Calleigh's hands.

She scowled up at him. That had been her first cup of coffee all morning and she needed it, badly. She'd been kept up late and was hopelessly tired. "Why not?" she fairly growled.

Eric slid the styrofoam cup of Cubano into her hand. "Because I have this."

She sniffed at the aroma and couldn't help but smile. She sighed appreciatively, "Cubano."

He grinned back at her and slid her breakfast in front of her. "And this."

She opened the box to find her breakfast still hot. "Eric, why?"

"Because I've been a real jerk lately and there's no real reason for it. I'm sorry," he said, hoping it sounded sincere. He couldn't help how he felt, but he knew that he couldn't last without Calleigh in his life somewhere; they had been too close for too long.

"Eric, I know there's a real reason and I think I know what it is and I don't think you have anything to be sorry for. I know that I do. And I do want to talk this out because it's important, but not here; not at work. This is a private issue between us. Let's talk it out soon, before too much else happens. But, for now, I'll accept the breakfast," Calleigh said seriously before breaking into another, very playful smile.

Eric smiled back, sitting across from her and opening his own breakfast. "I had a feeling you hadn't eaten yet."

"What clued you in?" Calleigh asked around a mouthful of tortilla full of eggs, refried beans, queso reyado cheese and chorizo.

"Well, I'm a little late and by now, you're already off in your lab, not drinking coffee and reading a case file. The only time you do that is when you're running late and didn't get a chance to look at the file at home," Eric said with certainty. He watched her closely.

Calleigh had to try and swallow around the hard lump that rose in her throat as the guilt slammed into her yet again. She had hurt him so badly and there he was, trying to act as if nothing happened. She wasn't hungry anymore. In fact, she felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't tell him what she was doing that kept her up so late and who made her drag her heels getting ready for work. Why couldn't she just stop being such an idiot? "Uhm, yeah, I was running late. I guess I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things after being off," she managed.

Eric watched as her demeanor changed so rapidly and it frightened him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, rising and closing the cover on the box. "I just realized how late I am. Thank you for the breakfast, Eric. I'll just heat it up for lunch. I really appreciate it; I do. I've got to get to work."

Calleigh made a quick and controlled withdrawal to her lab. For the first time in many years, she shut the door. She didn't want company and she didn't need company. Her door, shut, would tell anyone that. She paced the floor, unable to concentrate on anything but Eric and how much she knew she hurt him and her continuing to do so with Jake. Why couldn't she just step away from Jake? It wasn't that serious, yet she found herself unable to make an unknown move. She berated herself for the millionth time for being such an emotional coward and screw-up.

Suddenly, her stomach cramped painfully and she had to sit down, taking deep breaths to fight the intense nausea that was threatening to overwhelm her. Then, it was too much and she lost the contents of her stomach into the nearest wastebasket. Shaking badly, she tied the bag up and walked it carefully to the biohazard container in the hall, depositing it inside. Returning to her lab, she shut the door once more and leaned against it, feeling completely empty inside. She was sorely tempted to go into her office, shut the door and break down. She had never considered herself a crier; she still didn't. She just had no other way to vent her feelings. Even target practice wasn't helping. She and Eric had to sit down and hash it all out because if they didn't and soon, she had no idea how she was going to function.

Her cell shrilled, breaking her out of the self-destructive cycle of thoughts. "Duquesne."

Horatio's whiskey smooth voice washed over her like a soothing balm. "Calleigh, is everything alright? You sound off."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was concentrating on something; the phone startled me. What do you need," she asked, quickly covering her emotional distress.

There was along pause before Horatio answered. She still didn't sound right to him. "I need you at Fifth and Flagler. There's been a breakout on the jail bus. Frank was riding along and got beaten up pretty badly. There's also the chance that he shot an innocent bystander."

Her voice returned to it's normal firmness. Frank needed her. "I'm on it. See you in a few."

"Bring Ms. Boa Vista with you. It'll give her good experience," Horatio instructed.

"Already on our way."

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Stopping only long enough to grab her kit and alert Natalia, Calleigh made it to the crime scene in record time. Granted, it was only a couple of miles away, but the quicker she could get to work, the sooner she could forget about the complete disaster that was her personal life. She and Natalia got out of the Hummer and surveyed the scene from outside the taped off area.

"This isn't going to be easy," Natalia remarked.

Calleigh gave her what she hoped was a cocky grin, "Good, I like a challenge. I'm going to go and talk to Frank; get his viewpoint and then I'll help you process the scene."

Natalia smiled back at her, not liking the fervent intensity that Calleigh was radiating. It was too much and a lot like the fervent intensity Eric had been displaying. Something major had happened and it left Calleigh not herself in it's wake. She just wished that Calleigh felt close enough, comfortable enough with her to talk about it.

Calleigh approached Frank, taking in his appearance. He was roughed up and visibly shaken. In the years that she worked with him, she had learned that Frank Tripp was not just some lumbering, slow on the uptake hick cop from Texas, but a quick-witted, honest and meticulous homicide detective that had a thirst for justice that matched her own. She respected him deeply and counted herself fortunate that he was a colleague and friend. In those two capacities she halted her approach just a couple of feet away.

Her voice was gentle. "How are you doing?"

He looked over at her, his eyes dulled slightly by the marching band that was holding practice inside his skull. "Fog of war. I didn't see that young lady 'til...you know."

"Did you talk to IAB?" she asked, hating that she had to. Frank deserved better.

"No, but they're circling. I got two messages on my cell," he admitted.

She felt a fierce protectiveness burn inside her. Frank was not going to go down for this if she could help it. It must have been utter chaos. "Yeah, well they can't do a shooter review until we've finished processing the scene."

"I have a bad feeling about this, Calleigh," he said, seeking comfort from someone he had grown to deeply respect and look forward to partnering up with on knock and talks. Maybe it was her Southernnessthat made him think of back home. She would have fit right in. Charming and genteel as the day was long, but cross her and she'd likely whip out a shotgun.

Something wasn't sitting right. "I'd better get in there. You call me if you need me."

Frank was grateful beyond words. "I appreciate it."

She turned and began to process the scene with Natalia, calling Horatio with a color of one of the getaway vehicles, before throwing herself into the meticulous art of evidence collecting amidst debris. She patiently mentored Natalia, answering any and all questions that came her way. She took pride in seeing her friend blossoming into a top notch CSI so rapidly. Natalia's curious nature served her in good stead while processing a crime scene or evaluating the evidence they collected. It, however, made her a sometimes annoying companion when talk didn't need to be about work.

"Calleigh, I don't want to pry, but I can see that something is bothering you," Natalia said while riding back to the Lab. "If I can, I'd really like to help you out. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Natalia, honestly, if talking it over with you would make everything better, I would; but it won't. I need to work it out on my own; but thank you for the offer of help. I appreciate it," Calleigh said, shutting down on Natalia.

Natalia wasn't going to be so easily dismissed. "Look, I know that something is going on with you and I just want to help. You're scaring me. Please talk to me."

Calleigh was silent for a long time, her concentration on the crowded street. "Thank you for your concern and I don't mean to scare anyone. I got myself into the predicament and I'll get myself out."

Natalia steeled herself for Calleigh's possible response. "Are you pregnant?"

Her shock was so great that she nearly hit another car. "What?!"

"Well, are you? Because I kind of saw you throw up this morning in your lab. I wasn't trying to pry; glass walls. They can be a blessing or a curse," Natalia said quickly.

"No, I am not pregnant. Trust me, that is the one thing that I am not. It's just that, when I'm under enough of the right kind of stress, my stomach sometimes reacts badly to random foods. Now can we end the conversation?" Calleigh asked, pulling into the parking structure.

Natalia opened her door. "Alright, but just keep in mind that if you ever want to talk, my door is always open and my mouth stays closed. I don't like seeing you this stressed so..."

"If I need to talk it out with someone, I will."

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After finding out from Alexx that the girl that Frank thought he shot was deaf and had a .45 bullet in her, definitely _not _from Frank's nine millimeter department issue, Calleigh took the bullet and ran with it. NIBIN identified it as belonging to Barry Slater, who was already a subject in another shooting. She needed him called in so that she could question him, only...she couldn't question him alone. Procedure stated that she had to have a third party there for safety reasons since this was a violent crime. Natalia was elbow deep in evidence and Horatio was nowhere to be found, which wasn't surprising of late. That left Eric. He had held out the olive branch that morning and she'd be a moron not to grab it. So, against the churning in her stomach, she asked him to join her on the interview. At least it was work related and non-upsetting.

"Hey, thanks for including me. I heard you cleared Tripp," Eric said as they walked down to Interrogation.

"It wasn't me; it was Alexx. She's the one that pulled the bullet out of the body. I just identified it as the wrong caliber," Calleigh replied humbly.

"Yeah, but you I.D.ed the caliber. Why don't you ever take credit where credit is due?" Eric asked.

Calleigh sighed and shook her head. "Because it's not all me. I didn't dig that bullet out; Alexx did. Without her finding the bullet so that I could determine the caliber, Frank would still be under IAB investigation."

As they came to the door to the interrogation room, Eric added softly. "Just for once I'd like to see you take credit for being the wonderfully intelligent woman that you are."

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Actually being able to concentrate on the interrogation, Calleigh had to admit to herself that Eric's praise of her intelligence felt good, no, better than good; it felt great. She was used to the cat calls, wolf whistles and come ons she would inevitably receive when out. She got it; she was good looking, which Jake always made her keenly aware of being. But it was rarer to be complimented on her keen intelligence and sharp intellect and she basked in every bit of it. It gave her that extra edge to push through the interview, knowing that she'd get the suspect to confess to whatever part of the sequence of events he participated in. To put it simply: she was smarter than he was and knew it.

The disclosure that while it was his gun, he didn't shoot it and one of the escapees, one Oscar Monihan, actually stole his Harley, which embarrassed him to no end. The guy turned out to be tragically comic and really not a serious threat at that time. He was released but warned not to disappear.

Later, after Oscar was apprehended with the stolen Harley and keys in his possession, Calleigh found herself once more in Eric's presence. She found that, as she walked from her lab to his, she was looking forward to it. Calleigh stopped at Eric's lab table.

"I hear we may not be able to put Oscar on that motorcycle; compromised evidence," Eric said, still tapping out words on the keyboard.

"So all we have left are Trevor and Julio and they escaped in the red SUV," Calleigh said, deflating slightly at the knowledge.

"That is correct," Eric replied, his attention more on the computer in front of him than on the woman standing to the side of his screen. He deliberately chose that focus so that he could focus with her so near and so very much someone else's girlfriend.

"Except that Kyle said it was blue," she supplied.

"Correct, too," Eric stated, still seeking information from the database.

"So one of them is lying."

Eric looked up and smiled a knowing smile at her. "No."

She unconsciously returned that smile. "You're lying?" she teased.

Eric chuckled at her seeing her smile. It made him feel good that he could still make her laugh. "No. It's a special paint. It changes colors."

Leave it to Eric to have a wealth of knowledge about 'all things with wheels'. It flabbergasted and amazed her to no end. "Like a chameleon?" she asked.

Eric reveled in the attention and unabashed admiration Calleigh was lavishing on him and his knowledge. "To the naked eye, yes. Most paint jobs, they have a clear coat that goes over the color layer."

Calleigh proved to be a quick study in automotive paint jobs. "Oh, I see, to give it depth, right?."

Eric appreciated the effort. "This paint's second coat is filled with reflective synthetic flakes that are one micrometer thick. It creates a prism effect on the car."

Calleigh caught the light wave science immediately. "So it refracts a different color at a different angle."

"Product's so new that there's only one place in South Beach that does this kind of work; Loomis Detailing," Eric said, bringing the information gathering session to a close for the both of them.

Calleigh caught on immediately. "I think we take a ride and ask them what cars they painted blue and red in the last week."

_'We?' _ Eric looked up and let a small smile cross his lips. Calleigh seemed to be returning that olive branch of renewed friendship. He was not going to pass up the opportunity. "Let's go."

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Together, he and Calleigh found the residence of a one Mr. Bedford who heard about the 2 million offered by Julio . The story he gave them, which turned out to be true is that he needed the two million for his brother's dialysis treatments until a kidney donor could be found. While that was a compelling story and motivation, it would have stopped with aiding and abetting known felons. What good old Julio left him holding was 2 million in heroin, which upped the charge with possession with intent to sell. With heavy hearts, they arrested a man, who was not innocent in his actions, but righteous and full of loving compassion for his brother in his intentions, which left both a bad taste in their mouths.

Later, once back at the Lab, Calleigh test fired the gun found on Oscar Monihan. It was the one that killed Veronica Ekland. But that in itself didn't tell who the shooter actually was. The piece of skin that got caught in the hammer did. It pinched the skin and drew soft tissue, which was a wealth of DNA information.

The DNA proved Oscar Monihan innocent of killing Veronica Ekland, but not of stealing the Harley. Before the team caught up with the rest of the escaped felons He was going back in for grand theft auto. From there it wasn't too long before the team caught up with the rest of the escaped felons and sent them back in.

From what little information she had, Calleigh knew that something had gone on with Horatio's son in prison. She mused on that. Horatio's son was in prison. How painfully ironic. Horatio was the pillar of Miami; a devout seeker of justice and his son? Probably just a kid in the system that slipped through the cracks and ended up on the wrong side of the law. She hadn't met Kyle yet so she didn't know what kind of person he was. The fact that half his DNA was from Horatio gave him a fair shot at beating his youthful screw-ups and make something of himself. Her contemplation was interrupted by Jake entering her lab.

"You ready to go? We have reservations for Emeril's Miami Beach for 5:00. I don't want us to be late. There's plenty of time left to change and do what you need to do if we leave now.," he said, coming far too close to her.

She felt her knees weaken and her resolve crack. "Yeah, just let me sign off on this report. Do you mind backing up so that I can have some personal space?"

"You didn't want personal space last night," Jake teased.

"I wasn't finishing up a ballistics report on a murder last night. I mean it, Jake. I need to finish my job before we go anywhere. This is more important," she replied, stepping further away from him and focusing on the report. She didn't have that much further to go. She hated it when Jake interfered in her job, no, not job, career. :Are you trying to set me up for failure here? I mean, sabotaging me a little bit in the Academy just so you'd graduate above the only threat to you is one thing, this is entirely another. I have spent years here building respect from everyone from patrol officers to the Medical Examiner's office so don't try to undermine what I built here. For me it's not just a paycheck, Jake. You know that."

He felt bad that he played around too much. "Sorry, Calleigh. I just was feeling so playful that I didn't think. I didn't realize that you were in the middle of writing a homicide report. I can wait."

"Thank you," she replied, her attention already moving off to full on her report. She spent several minutes finalizing and then rereading her report. Finally, she was satisfied enough to sign off on it and pop it into Horatio's box. "Emeril's you say? Why Lagasse?"

"I know where you washed dishes in college."


	31. Chapter 31

_**Of Comfort and Ghosts**_

_**Bang, Bang, You're Debt**_

_**pt. 1**_

It was getting better, their relationship. Eric was finding it easier and easier to be around Calleigh and Berkeley didn't work every case with them. Calleigh still seemed out of sorts and would fall silent around him at times. But those times were getting rarer and he just hoped that everything was alright with her. He, against his better judgment, broached the subject with her in the break room one morning before their shift began.

He sat down across from her. "Another late night?" he asked playfully.

"Mm mm," she mumbled around a sip of coffee, avoiding his gaze.

Eric didn't like it when she did what she was doing. It had always worried him. "Calleigh, is everything alright?"

Again, she refused to look up from the ballistics report she was looking at. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Eric pulled the documents across the table so that she had to look up. "Calleigh."

"Eric, I'm fine but you're really annoying me right now. I need to finish reading that report from the night shift. Camden deliberately left it on my desk with a sticky note for me to review it so if you don't mind?" Calleigh asked with an irritated huff. Yes, she was tired because Jake stayed the night again, but she didn't feel any guilt about that. She wanted that folder because Camden was right. The evidence sounded hinky to her and she was deeply intrigued.

Eric slid the folder back over to her. "Sorry. I worry about you sometimes, you know. I don't want you all stressed out again. Even though I don't like Berkeley, I respect your decision and I hope he's treating you right. You deserve better, but...I just want to know if I need to break his face."

She let out a small, exasperated chuckle. Eric could be so sweet sometimes. His protectiveness over her was comforting instead of smothering. "I appreciate it. You don't need to break his face, at least not today."

A small smile teased at his lips. "Because I will, you know. One second of pain and I'll break it."

She let herself smile at him in his earnestness. "I know you will."

Eric started as his pager went off. "I gotta go, H needs me at the scene of a car fire. We'll catch up later?"

Calleigh nodded, once again opening her folder. "Later."

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Shortly after Eric had left, Calleigh received her page to the same crime scene. Shaking her head at Horatio's timing, her page just far enough behind Eric's to keep them in separate Hummers, she packed up her kit and made her way to the crime scene in time to see Natalia leaving with some sample or another.

Hefting her kit, she carefully made her way through the sand to where Eric was squatting next to the burned out shell of the SUV.

"Hey, you want to catch me up?" she asked stopping only a couple of feet away from him. She shifted slightly in the intense autumn sun. It was awfully hot out on the sand.

Eric looked up at her. "Yeah, we've got one dead and one critical."

She glanced over at a new tech who was snapping extra pictures of the crime scene. "Will you get extra pictures of the crowd? I want to have the faces on record just in case."

He smiled at her. "You got is CSI Duquesne."

"I think we should get the car back to base," Calleigh said as the new tech moved away to do as she asked.

"I already called it in...CSI Duquesne," he replied, teasing her. He could tell the new guy had a crush on her. He was used to it by then. Every new guy developed a crush on Calleigh. He certainly did when they first met. The difference was, his crush never actually went away.

She laughed and rolled her eyes at him. _This was how it was supposed to be, to feel between them. _She was reveling in the comfort that they had suddenly established when the look on Eric's face changed. He looked confused; disturbed by something behind her. Eric stood, eyes still on something behind her. She turned but could see nothing except a deserted stretch of beach.

Concern for his well-being flooded her, blotting everything else out. "Are you okay?"

Eric shook his head slightly to clear it. He could have sworn he had seen Speedle. But he couldn't have. Speed was dead. He knew that. He was at the funeral. "Yeah, naw, I'm fine."

Calleigh jumped on his hesitation. The look on his face was scaring her badly. "You don't look fine."

Eric, eyes still closed, willing the improbability of what he had seen from his mind, replied. "I just stood up too fast, that's all."

Calleigh was not convinced. He had looked too shocked but he also looked, just then, that the only thing in the world that he wanted was for her to drop the subject. She knew how that felt all too well and gave in. "Alright."

Eric gratefully watched Calleigh walk away to process another part of the crime scene. He looked back over to where he swore he saw Speedle but the beach lay empty, almost mocking him. He was confused. How could he be seeing Speed when Speed lay in his grave for the past three years?

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When Calleigh next caught up with Eric, he was fingerprinting an engine part. "Did you get a print?" She asked, entering the lab.

"Yep, now we just need to connect it with a face," he said, beginning to run the print through the database.

It was that new tech again, the one with the crush on Calleigh. "CSI Duquesne?"

She smiled warmly at him. The new guys were always so funny around her. They seemed to become clumsy teenagers while in her presence. "You can call me Calleigh."

"Oh, right; got it. I have those pictures you asked for," he replied, feeling a little foolish. She just impressed him so much with her knowledge and it didn't hurt that she was beautiful. He had heard that she was dating some Homicide detective. He was one lucky man and Mike hoped he knew it.

Again Calleigh smiled at him, taking the folder. "Thanks, Mike." She flipped open the folder, looking at the first picture and not liking it one bit. Eric _had_ been hiding something.

"What did he get," Eric asked, not liking the frown that crossed Calleigh's face.

She looked up at him, her concern almost a physical presence. "You. I thought you looked like you saw a ghost out there."

He tried to deflect her concern. "Don't worry about me."

She wasn't buying it in the least. "You don't have to be embarrassed. The doctor said that after your injury you might be up and down possibly for years."

It killed him to admit it, but she was so worried..."I guess I'm right on target."

Why wouldn't he open up? Wasn't she the one that slept at his bedside every night while he was in the hospital? Didn't he know that she'd give her life for him? "Come on, Eric, it's me. What did you see out there?"

His computer beeped with a match, saving him from having to tell her. She'd think he was insane. "I saw evidence of arson."

Her heart sank as she took the brush off. She knew that something big happened to him. She wanted to show him that her being with Jake did nothing to her trust in him. Calleigh was scared for Eric. If it was something to do with the bullet, then she wanted to know because she couldn't stand seeing him suffer through it alone.

Eric interrupted her thoughts with the name of the owner of the fingerprints. "Andrew Hillman."

Swallowing her fear and concern for the time being, she plastered a phony smile on her face. "Great."

As she moved away she took one last look at Eric and felt her concern raise another notch.

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Eric couldn't concentrate as he went around and around in his mind about the events of that morning. He _knew _he saw Speed. How that was possible, he didn't know. In an attempt to put it to rest once and for all, he returned to the crime scene. There was no guarantee that he'd see Speed again, but there was also every chance that he might.

As Eric pulled into a parking slot he turned to look at the stretch of beach where he had seen Speed. Speed was back. Eric nearly whooped and sprang out from the drivers' seat, stopping just inside the crime scene tape just to make sure what he was seeing was real. Deciding that Speed wasn't going anywhere, he approached the still figure all in black.

"Then it was you this morning," Eric said, surprised at the steadiness of his voice. Could his death have been faked just like Horatio's brother, Ray? If it was, why would he risk exposing himself now? "It's been a long time."

Speed nodded. "Yes it has."

"Why are you here?" Eric asked. Could Speed be putting himself in danger?

He was just as smug as Eric remembered. "I figured you could use my help. I mean, you always did, right?"

Eric couldn't help but laugh a little. "Alright, then; help. What am I missing?"

"What's the first thing you learn on the job?" Speed asked cryptically.

"How to pad your time card," Eric replied, a smirk dancing across his lips.

Speed rolled his eyes. "The second thing."

Eric thought fast. Seeing Speed again and talking to him was really throwing Eric for a loop. "Every person that enters a crime scene brings something in and takes something away."

Speed looked around. "Even before we call it a scene," he finished for Eric.

"What are you saying? Someone took evidence before we even arrived?" Eric questioned. He always hated it when Speed got into his "teacher mode". It usually ended up with him feeling dumb. "How do I find something that's not even here?"

Yep, Speed was in "teacher mode". "Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it's not there."

Almost as if to prove his point, Speed turned his back on Eric and walked calmly to a rocky area. He stopped and waited for Eric to join him. Which, of course, Eric did. Eric approached and noted that Speed was staring pointedly at something on the rocks. He looked back at Eric and smiled.

Eric's eyes fell on an object. He squat down, gloving up as he did so, already collecting the evidence. "Burnt piece of tubing. It's got to be from the crime scene." Eric stood, tubing in hand. He would never have found it is it wasn't for Speed. "Speedle..."

He was alone on the beach once again.

"Thanks for the help."


	32. Chapter 32

_**Note: After the disclosure toward the end of the Season 7 premiere, oh boy do I have fodder! This is excellent because it puts to rest the question of did they or didn't they and for those who have yet to see Resurrection, I'm not saying a thing.**_

_**I am so giving points to anyone who knows all the sci-fi references that I put in here (hello, I'm a sci-fi/science nerd), extra cookies for those that can tell me what T.A.R.D.I.S. Stands for. I refuse to use the term Trekkie because of negative isolationist associations. I am a Star Trek and other Sci-fi geek and am dang proud of it.**_

_**Inspiration on that goes to the writers of CBS's Big Bang Theory. I really know people like them. I really do. Oh dear Gods, I am such a nerd.**_

_**Well, This is Just Awkward**_

Berkeley, she had to go on the call with Berkeley. Alright, so he was her boyfriend and all, but she didn't need any extra clues toher fellow CSI's that they were seeing each other. It was still hard enough to face Eric, let alone anyone else. Thankfully, she rode alone, meeting him at the college girl's apartment. It was a far cry from the student housing she remembered. It was a far cry from her first off campus apartment in her Junior year at Tulane. It was light and airy, roomy and private.

Calleigh had roomed with three other physics majors and their apartment looked half like a mad scientist's lab and half like the Starship Enterprise. All four of them were science nerds to the hilt and it was only on Calleigh's staunch insistence that they needed to at least appear not so nerdy on the surface, as a survival skill for the real world, that kept Bob from building a TARDIS in their living room. He built it in the bedroom he shared with Matt. Gene had a roomful of model Enterprises that he built from every phase of the Star Trek series, both movie and television as well as a scale model of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise and the very first NASA space shuttle, also named Enterprise because, well, the guys at NASA were Star Trek geeks too. Calleigh kept a small model of the Millennium Falcon and one of an X-wing fighter by her computer. She still had them...in a drawer...tucked away safely.

Calleigh? She was just one of the guys because either they were intimidated by her or...they were intimidated by her. Not only was she the beautiful All-American girl next door but she had a mind that challenged them on the most scientific technical levels. Her penchant for firearms, trajectory and impact physics even then, sent them scurrying whenever she cleaned her small collection of firearms. She had always thought that Gene was sweet but he had a girlfriend in the medical school and Bob was a grad student and Matt, was, well, Matt. None of the guys ever tried to put a move on her. She came to the conclusion that they were just too intimidated. She knew now that Gene worked for NASA in research and development, Matt worked for Argon Labs in particle acceleration and Bob worked for the government. Wildly enough, they all kept in contact via email and the guys cheered on her achievements as a CSI and she cheered them on in their fields. Sometimes she kind of missed them, watching Star Trek or Doctor Who; debating physics or math or quantum mechanics. Trying to build stupid, yet intriguing machines only to short out the power to their building for a few hours. Calleigh sighed and made a mental note to email the guys that very night just because she missed them.

Turning her attention to the room at hand, she began taking pictures, documenting everything.

"Our college girl was living large," Jake commented from the single bedroom.

Calleigh had to agree, remembering sometimes living on Ramen noodles or leftovers from the steakhouse where worked at while in college. "This is a nice laptop; an expensive item for a college student."

"And judging by her wardrobe there wasn't a designer that she didn't like," Jake said, holding up a very expensive designer top.

Calleigh spied something that she had held off purchasing because of the exorbitant price, despite the fact that with her pay scale, she could afford it easily. "Hey, you know what, this is a complete side bar, but this is the machine that I want. It makes macchatoes, espressos, cappuccinos...everything."

"When would I ever make a macchiato? " Jake questioned.

Calleigh was practical as always. She might as well admit to herself that things with Jake were more serious than she had been allowing herself to believe. He stayed over more nights than not and they tended to spend their days off together when they could. Could she be falling back in love with him as she had been back in the Academy? Or was it that she was that lonely? After John had committed suicide she had shied away from any thoughts of a relationship with anyone...until Peter Elliot came along. That went badly, too and she had simply chosen not to date anyone at all for the fear of more pain in her life. "Well, you would make one every morning after we buy the machine."

Jake bent and retrieved a condom wrapper. "Now, there's the dorm room that I remember." He trained his flashlight on the wastebasket, revealing a used condom. "And there's the rest of it."

Calleigh shrugged it off. She didn't know Jake in college and he didn't know her. Jake had been her first. Darnell was a small town and she didn't dare explore when everyone knew everyone's business and in college she was to focused on her studies. Jake swept her off her feet when they met in the Academy. She had fallen in love with him and she thought that he had with her and then- She shook her head to clear it.

"I'll pick it up; there could be a name attached," she said, moving toward her kit.

"Well, if you're going to pick that up, you're going to need a second set of gloves," he replied, disgusted. He didn't get how Calleigh could do the decomp and body parts, fluids and slime collection; maggots, blow flies, wet trash, vomit. It made him sick to his stomach just thinking about it. It was a good thing that she insisted on a shower before they even touched.

"Well, you know what, how about this; Cooper wants to be a CSI, I'll have him come in and pick it up," she said, grinning.

Her eyes fell on the girl's phone, message alert blinking furiously. She and Jake listened to several unfriendly and rather abusive phone calls from Liberty Coast Credit. Apparently, Jessica had been delinquent in her credit card payments and she was being threatened by the company. It suddenly made sense how a college girl could have the coffee machine, laptop and a designer wardrobe.

"She bought all this stuff on credit," Calleigh said, remembering all her classmates that got sucked into the same scam.

Jake's voice was sympathetic. "It sounds like she was in over her head."

A fiercely protective look set itself in Calleigh's eyes. "And I bet she was terrified. That could cause a girl to take her own life. You know what? I'm going to call Tripp and have him go over to the office of Liberty Coast."

Once the call to Tripp was made, she called Cooper, who was only too eager to come and collect the evidence. While Jake went back to PD, Calleigh mentored Cooper, making certain that the evidence was photographed, bagged and tagged properly before returning to the Lab.

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Calleigh no sooner had settled herself in her Lab than Eric came in and said that they needed to go and interview the other victim, Brandon, since he was also a Liberty Coast Credit card holder and could be in the same predicament. They'd have his and her credit debt information by the time they got back.

Brandon was understandably upset when they told him that Jessica had died. He gave them what information he had but they didn't want to tax him overmuch, considering what he had already been through.

Calleigh climbed into the passenger seat of the Hummer while Eric walked around to the other side.

"Buckle up," Eric said lightly, watching Calleigh struggle with the seat belt.

"I'm trying," she complained just as she felt it click into place. Her fingers brushed something wedged between the armrest and the seat. She dug in after it.

"What, are you digging for change?" Eric asked, continuing teasing her.

Suddenly she got a grip on it and pulled it out. Ironically enough, it was a credit card. "Ooo! I think I've found something even better!" Her excitement turned to bewilderment when she read the name on the card. "Oh my God," she breathed.

Eric was still in the mood to tease. "What is it; a Platinum card?"

"This is Speedle's credit card," she said with a tone of incredulity. Speed had been dead for three years.

Eric felt his stomach drop. "I knew it."

Calleigh caught his shift in mood immediately, despite her own shock and confusion. "What is going on?"

Eric glanced at her, mortified to have let on even that tiny iota. "Nothing."

Confusion and shock gave way to exasperation. "Look, Eric if we are going to be working together, you have to talk to me."

"I said it's nothing."

"Does it have something to do with me and Jake? Is there a problem?" Calleigh asked, jumping to the wrong conclusion.

Eric suddenly felt bad. She was worried about him; about their friendship. He had to put her at ease. "No, Calleigh, don't be ridiculous."

"Well, you've been acting strange with me all day. So what else am I supposed to think?" she defended.

"Let's just forget about it. Can I have Speedle's card, please?" Eric said in a tone that indicated that he was going to refuse any more conversation on the subject.

With a defeated air and a very serious worry beginning to gnaw at her, Calleigh handed over the credit card. There was no conversation on the way back to the Lab.


	33. Chapter 33

_**Note: Some of you may be wondering why I left the last almost half of the episode out. I haven't. I'm not done with Bang, Bang yet. It was so chock full of E/C plus notable separate times that I didn't want to rush it and jam it all into one hideously long chapter which would be a pain to write as well, I'm sure, a pain to read. While I like a substantial chapter, I don't always have the time to read one and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Hey, Adorelo, our Queen of Angst...how's my angst factor doing?**_

_**Of Specters and Shooters**_

_**pt.3**_

Eric didn't feel like talking the entire way back to the Lab. He was too freaked out and he knew that if he tried to talk to Calleigh, she'd be freaking out right along with him. She had enough on her plate already; so much so that he didn't want to burden her until he was absolutely certain about what and who he'd been seeing.

Taking the credit card, he called the lending institution, Miami Mutual Bank, that had issued Speedle the card. He pretended to be his deceased friend to gain information, finding out that the card had only regained activity in the last two weeks. Before he had a chance to check into a hunch he had, Calleigh had called with DNA evidence linking another Liberty Coast employee, a manager in fact, to the dead girl, Jessica Taylor. His name was Keith Reynolds and Calleigh wanted Eric to accompany her so that her "informal talk" with Reynolds would be above board. While her trust in him was unwavering, he also wanted to get to the bottom of Speed's credit card usage. It would have to wait as he made his way to the elevators and over to where Calleigh was already waiting for him.

Reynolds happened to be on the University campus and before they could even begin to talk to him, shots rang out. There was screaming from the students as everyone dove for cover. In the melee, Eric lost sight of Calleigh, knowing that she could be lying somewhere, bleeding from a gunshot wound.

"Calleigh, you alright?" Eric hollered above the din, fear for her gripping his heart.

A small rush of relief spread through Calleigh as she heard Eric's voice, visions of him lying in his hospital bed after he was shot flashed across her vision. "Yeah, I'm fine," she hollered back before calling for back-up.

Just as she finished her call for back up, the firing stopped and they both came out from their respective cover spots and began assessing damages. That's when Calleigh noticed a girl with blood on her, yet she was unharmed. It was Keith Reynold's blood and he was dead. Their prime suspect was dead and the shot that killed him had to come from somewhere, but where?

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The Medical Examiner's van stood just off the main pathway and Alexx had already finished with the body, giving instructions to the haulers as she stood and stripped off her gloves. Eric stood a little ways away, taking notes and writing down anything he remembered as Frank strolled up to him.

"None of these kids heard or saw where the shots came from," Frank said.

"I was here when it happened, Frank. I couldn't tell you where they came from," Eric admitted. He knew that Calleigh couldn't tell, either.

"Calleigh said the rounds were from a 30.06. She took the casings back to the Lab," Frank told him and then stopped as Eric moved away, his line of sight fixed on something Frank couldn't see. "I got guys on the perimeter if you need anything. You're welcome."

Eric knew that he was being rude by walking away from Frank while the man was still speaking to him, but he couldn't help it. Speed was back and he really needed his help. "Speed."

Speed turned to look at him, but remained silent, as if it wasn't the time yet for him to speak.

"What's going on?" Eric asked as a soft hand landed on his shoulder, forcing him to look away.

"Eric," Alexx asked, concern flooding her voice. She had been scared for this one for a long time, knowing what a bullet to the brain could do. He had been doing so well. What did he see and who was he talking to? "What's going on?"

This is when Eric knew that Speed really wasn't back. Alexx couldn't see him and he was only a few yards away. If she could have seen him, she'd have reacted. "Nothing. I'm just reading the crime scene."

Eric paused to look over the area where Speed, or whatever it was, lead him to. "Yeah, See this, this is a bullet hole," he said, pointing to a bullet damaged leaf. Softer he said, "Yeah, that's what he meant. "

"Baby," Alexx breathed, her chest constricting in fear. This wasn't her Eric. He was reaching, stumbling and he was obviously seeing things. Could the bullet have dislodged and be causing complications?

"The shooter, he hid behind these bushes, here; that's why nobody saw him," Eric explained lamely. He knew it could have happened that way, but he also knew that he was reaching and Alexx knew it.

"Whatever it is, if you need to talk, you find me, okay?" Alexx said, trying to impart the concern and love she felt for him.

Eric didn't say anything. Instead he moved off to collect fallen leaves in hopes that they would lead them somewhere useful. He felt bad about lying to Alexx, whom he loved like he loved his mother. She was the "mom" of sorts amongst the CSI's, just like Horatio had always been "dad". They were both a bit older and more experienced and generally looked out for the rest of the team. God forbid if one of them should leave or be killed. The team would be at a loss in how to deal with it, at least at first. He knew that the grief from the loss would be crippling, which is why he felt so bad about keeping things from Alexx. He vowed to make it up to her.

Sure enough, though, once he got the leaves back to the Lab, he and Natalia, the only one who _didn't _seemed worried about him, found dried perspiration on one of the leaves. That in itself sounded suspicious. Why would sweat be on leaves in the middle of a landscaped thicket? Further DNA analysis revealed that the DNA belonged to another Liberty Coast Mutual employee, Gary Hardwick. Apparently he'd been spying on Keith Reynolds because of rumors of him erasing debt for sexual favors. The thing is, he never really did erase the debt. He took the sex and left the poor girls to continue struggling to pay the bare minimum payments.

Gary Hardwick wasn't innocent, though since he signed up Brandon Fox, giving him a "drink dispenser", in other words, a beer bong. It all made sense why Hardwick's prints were on the tubing. He'd given the beer bong to Brendan. Calleigh was equally horrified and intrigued. What a horrible trap for the kid to have fallen into. Getting the credit card without any real world experience and then charging a lifetime of debt in such a short time. His credit card debt was twice what Jessica owed. She sighed. If Brendan Fox wasn't in the hospital recovering from inhalation issues due to the car fire plus the burns he received, she'd peg him as prime suspect. She realised that Alexx was right. It had been a double suicide attempt, but only Jessica was successful. That left Brendan...what was he hiding from them...

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It turned out that Brendan and Jessica had had a suicide pact, but when Brendan woke up in the fire, his survival instinct kicked in and he got himself and Jessica out of the burning SUV. The problem was, Jessica had already died.

Eric spent time looking around for Calleigh to tell her the news but couldn't find her anywhere. Finally, he stopped in DNA. "Talia, have you seen Calleigh? I have an update on the case."

"Dispatch said she went back to the campus because something wasn't sitting right with her. She's incredibly intuitive, so I guess there's more to this case than just a double suicide attempt," Natalia said, the admiration and respect for her mentor and most recently, her friend, shining in her voice.

Eric picked it up immediately and internally agreed with her. "You're probably right. If anyone asks, I'm at the campus with Calleigh."

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By the time Eric made it to the campus, Calleigh was hard at work. She was intensely studying the crime scene, brow furrowed, thinking hard.

"Calleigh, dispatch told me that you came back to the scene. What's up?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, the leaves you brought in, they didn't have any gunpowder on them," Calleigh said, steeling herself for his response. He'd been so mercurial on this case that she was almost afraid to say anything to him, lest he be upset.

His voice was steady and curious. "You're sure? That means the shooter wasn't behind the bushes."

Calleigh accepted this normal behavior for what it was worth. "I know. I came back because I think our best bet is to recreate the scene."

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"Alright, the shooting started and we were, uh, we were right there," Eric said, gesturing a few yards to the right.

Calleigh corrected her mental calculations. "The first shot was the lamp post, the second shot hit here," she said, indicating the raffle bowl that exploded with the gunfire.

Eric followed her fingers. Leave it to Calleigh to know where every shot went precisely in sequence. "We'd have figured out direction if we would have..."

"And then everyone started panicking. And then came the kill shot," she said, mentally, invisibly, tracing the bullet's path. It was insane, unbelievable if it wasn't Calleigh, the wunderkind of all things firearms, he'd never have believed the outcome.

Calleigh had relied on Kentucky Windage and calculated the bullet's original trajectory. She traced it from the victim and backwards, landing on a lunchtime cruise ship with some repairs and sprucing up their plans. The one ship that was scheduled for the time of day that the shot rang out was searched, revealing a medicinal powder for burns. The top deck had been closed to the public for repairs and updates so the evidence they found was completely damming. Brendan Fox was being treated for burns and was an ace shot with a rifle. It was all over but the confession.

After Brandon Fox's confession, Eric found the time and the courage to open his friend's locker, He hadn't dared in all the years that Speedle had been gone. It was as painful as he had imagined. The only thing he didn't count on was Horatio's presence.

"You're looking in Speed's locker, Eric," Horatio said casually.

Eric closed the locker, caught. If he couldn't talk to Horatio as family, then who could he confide in? "Out of respect I haven't touched it since he was shot. Now his wallet is missing."

The expected disbelief wasn't there, but an explanation of theory was. Horatio took it seriously. "What do you think happened?"

"Well. Maybe he took it." Eric said, reluctant to share what he felt. "There's been some activity on his credit card."

"Eric, when someone important to us leaves us, it can be difficult to accept they're gone," Horatio said, concern for his brother in law coloring his words.

Eric wasn't about to be put off. No, this is different. It sounds crazy but he pointed me in the direction of that tube. He solved this case."

"You solved the case; you did," Horatio insisted, fear that Eric might be having more difficulties due to the bullet in his brain rolled in the pit of his stomach. "Speed is gone; he's gone."

Eric's voice was soft. It was just this reaction he was getting from Horatio that made him not tell Calleigh. "What if I told you that I talked to him?"

It hurt like hell to say what he said next. "I'd say... I'd say that it was time to get some help."

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Eric was in a downward tailspin and he thought that nothing could bring him out of it. He was slowly going insane; he was sure he was going insane. That had to be it because sane people didn't see people that weren't there and they certainly didn't have conversations with them. He could never remember feeling so low. He was just considering signing out and going home when his cell rang. It was Horatio.

"Eric, go to McKenna's. Somebody _is _using Speed's card."

Those were the best words that Eric could hear. At least the credit card would have an explanation. He called Calleigh because he knew she'd be just as curious as to who was using Speed's card. The ride to McKenna's On The Bay was quiet. He could tell that Calleigh was still worried about him and he wished that he had something to ease her fears, but he didn't. They pulled in and walked inside the pub.

"I'm going to check to the bartender and see if I can get some receipts," Calleigh said, moving off.

That left Eric standing alone. Using the time to familiarize himself with the lay out of the pub and it's patrons. That's when he saw Speed again. He walked over, intending on getting to the bottom of things. He grabbed the man's shoulder. "Speed." Then the guy turned to fully face Eric and it wasn't Speed at all. Granted, the guy had more than a passing resemblance to him, but it wasn't Speed at all. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else."

The guy nodded. He got that a lot. "No problem."

Calleigh returned, taking Eric's arm and pointing to the customer with Speed's card. Eric couldn't help but be surprised and not just a little hurt and angry. By the way she walked, Eric could tell that the exact same feelings were coursing through Calleigh as they approached Cooper.

Calleigh fought to keep her voice neutral. "Hey, Coop."

Dan Cooper turned around, surprise evident. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

She wasn't going to play games. She was just too angry. "I think we'd like to ask you the same question."

As angry as Calleigh was, Eric was angrier. "Let me see your wallet."

"Show him your wallet, Dan."

Cooper tried to stall. He knew they had to be onto him. Neither of them had ever been so cold toward him in all the years they were in the Lab together. He fumbled in his back pocket for his wallet. "I don't know what's going on here."

As soon as Cooper brought the wallet out, Eric snatched it angrily and opened it, revealing Speed's credit card. "Your name's not Tim Speedle," he fairly growled.

"Eric, listen to me. It's not what you think." Cooper said, attempting to explain. He glanced at Calleigh and felt himself go pale. Having the big Cuban get angry with him was one thing, but Calleigh? He'd seen her tear apart suspects without even touching them. She once even managed to make a hardened criminal almost cry. There was no way he wanted to incur her wrath.

"Your name's not Tim Speedle," Eric repeated more forcefully. When Cooper just sat there with his mouth open, Eric's temper snapped and he threw the wallet on the table and stormed away.

That left Cooper with and very angry and very hurt Calleigh. "You know, I'd ask you for an explanation, but I just think I wouldn't get one," she said, willing her voice to stay steady.

Cooper attempted to explain himself, hoping it would dull the anger he saw flashing in the petite, yet deadly, blonde's eyes."You know I want to be a CSI. And you guys, you speak so highly of the guy. I thought I'd check out Speedle's locker; see what he was all about and saw the credit card and it's not like he'd miss it."

Her curiosity overrode her anger for a moment. "Why'd you use it?"

"There was 200 dollars credit on there and-"

"Dan!"

"It was free money," he finished lamely. From the look on her face, he knew he was going to get himself a new anal orifice.

"You've charged over 23 hundred dollars!" It was an effort to keep her voice down. If they weren't in a public place and she wasn't representing MDPD, she'd have grabbed him by the shirt and shaken him.

"I-I know. It got out of hand," he said.

She couldn't believe her ears. He was trying to justify it. "It's fraud."

"It was a mistake, Calleigh, a big mistake, . It won't happen again," he assured her. Maybe he'd get himself off the hook with her after all.

"I know. It's over," she said as calmly as she could. Beneath her mostly placid looking surface, she was seething, her heart being torn like it had been three years previous when Tim was gunned down.

"W-what are you saying? The Lab, they gave Ryan another chance," he nearly begged. She was going to take him down for this.

How dense could he be? "Ryan broke protocol; you broke the law."

"Calleigh, Speedle's dead. No one got hurt," he said, trying to make her see his viewpoint.

Calleigh let her emotions seep fully into her voice. "You don't think that Eric got hurt? You don't think I'm not hurt? What about the people that Speedle gave his life for? You have until tomorrow morning to turn yourself in. After that, I'll put out a warrant for your arrest."

With that, she turned and left him sitting there. She could have kept going if it wasn't for the tears pricking at the back of her eyes. She missed Speed so much some days that it hurt. She made her way back to the Hummer and Eric. He sat glumly in the passenger seat, head down, eyes slightly red.

"Hey, you okay," she asked, getting in.

"No, I'm not. Not with what Cooper did," he said softly.

"Me either. It just brings back the pain that I thought faded away. I guess not. He has until the morning to turn himself in. If he hasn't, I'm having Tripp bring him in," she said, starting the engine and pulling away from the curb.

"Cal, can you drop me off at Miami General? I forgot that I have an appointment this afternoon," Eric asked.

"Is everything alright? You know you can tell me," she assured him.

"Yeah, I just have an appointment."

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The reminder of Speedle's death had brought up all sorts of long buried emotions and even to the reminder that the third anniversary of his death was just in a few days. On that day, Calleigh left work a little early, her caseload caught up and all solved files already in Horatio's hands. She drove to the cemetery and made her way to Speed's graveside.

She knelt down. "Hey, Tim. It's been a while. This has been a hard week. Dan Cooper tried to, well, he took your credit card and he used it, impersonating you. It really got to Eric. It got to me pretty bad, too. It took everything I had in me not to throttle him right there in the pub." Calleigh blinked back a few tears that had gathered in her eyes. "It also reminded me of how much I still miss you."

The sound of a car approaching and stopping made her stand up. "I'd better get going. You're probably going to have quite a busy evening, today being what it is. Bye, Tim, I'll visit soon."

"You don't have to leave, Calleigh." Eric said from right behind her.

She turned to face him, trying to hide the fact that she'd cried a little. "No, I should go and give you some privacy. I've had my time."

He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face up so he could look in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just miss him," Calleigh said, patting his arm. "I'd better go and let you have a little privacy I'll see you in the morning."

As Eric watched Calleigh walk away, he said,"Sometimes, Speed, she really blows me away."


	34. Chapter 34

_**The Other Shoe Falls**_

The first tentative tendrils of dawn were just beginning to pink the sky when Calleigh slid out of bed. She turned and looked at the man still sleeping there and felt a warm rush as she remembered their evening together. Jake always knew where to touch, breathe over; look, to ignite her passions.

The evening had been wonderful, Jake being very considerate of her feelings when she told him about going to Speed's grave and what the day meant to the team and to her. He understood what the loss of a trusted partner felt like, even if you didn't like them, and how infinitely greater the pain was when you did. Telling him the story, a few stray tears had run down her cheeks. Instead if kissing them away, as he might have done if the memory hadn't been still so raw and painful, he gently wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs and held her while she spoke. He offered to call it an early night and not pressure her into staying, but Calleigh wanted nothing more than to be held and cared for for just the night. It was the only day of the year that she allowed herself that weakness, that seeking of comfort. Jake seemed to understand this and pressured her into nothing, allowing her to state her needs and set the pace. He cooked for her, which was usually a seduction of sorts, but that night he simply cooked, making Calleigh one of her favorite dishes of his: Chicken Vesuvio. He hoped that it might offer her some sort of comfort.

After dinner he broke out the very special and extremely expensive bottle of Ice wine he had been saving for a special occasion. Calleigh accepted the glass and used it to toast Tim Speedle's memory. She regaled Jake with tales about Speed, enough so that he felt he had actually known the man and felt a loss at never being able to meet him. Calleigh had cried a little when she told him how Tim had been shot in the line of duty and how painful his funeral had been. Jake just cradled her in his arms and let her cry it out. Timothy Speedle must have been someone very special to have gotten under Calleigh's skin so thoroughly. Later, at Calleigh's own instigation, they had made love. Knowing what she had been through emotionally, Jake was tender and gentle, only becoming rougher and more demanding at Calleigh's insistence. It left them both out of breath and completely exhausted. She had fallen asleep almost instantly in Jake's arms

Grabbing her clothing, she slipped into the bathroom and changed, opting to shower at home before changing into her work clothes. As silently as possible, she pulled Jake's apartment door shut before driving herself home. She wasn't exactly rested. Last night's emotional catharsis had cost her dearly. She was, however, grateful for Jake's understanding and tenderness. Perhaps he had changed, after all. This she mulled over in her own shower. She made it relatively quick and dressed, heading out of the door at her normal time, stopping only to grab a hot coffee and one of those egg white and stuff flat breads and potato bites on her way in. She popped the last of the flat bread thing into her mouth and grabbed her coffee, ready to start her day. She wasn't exactly refreshed, but it was perfectly excusable being the anniversary of the day after Speed had been killed. Almost before she could slide into her lab coat, she got the call-out.

It was to a famous football player's house. Doug McClain was one of the top players in the NFL before his retirement. She had never heard of him, not following football, except for Tulane Green Wave. College ball was more her thing, and only marginally. Rugby was her game and the mainstream sports reporting didn't cover it. Doug McClain didn't go to Tulane and so didn't play football there, so she had no real idea who he was. But Jake did. She had remembered all those weekends, particularly Sunday afternoons, that Jake was glued to the t.v. screen. If she had been wearing an edible bikini, he wouldn't have noticed as long as his team was playing.

So, with a sense of cluelessness about the victim, she began to process the scene, stopping only to greet Horatio and get further instructions.

"Calleigh, you look a little tired," Horatio said in a low voice. "Is everything alright?"

She smiled up at him, grateful that he had begun to exhibit his old concern for the team again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Considering what yesterday was, it was a bit of a rough night. But I made it through just fine."

Horatio's lips ghosted a smile. Calleigh Duquesne was the toughest woman he knew and he had no doubt that she was exactly as she said. In his eyes she was unshakable and always would be. That's why she was his trusted second in command; she could handle anything. "Then get back to work."

Calleigh continued processing the scene, dusting for fingerprints on the only open window in the entire house. She was so intent on her job that she didn't notice someone step up behind her. It was, of course, Jake and although they spent the most intimate night together that Calleigh could ever remember, she letting him farther in than he had ever been, she let the professional veneer fall over herself and treated him like she would Frank Tripp. As they went over the trophy/memorabilia room together, the professional talk mingled comfortably with the personal talk, nothing too intimate as to suggest anything other than a friendship in the workplace might. It could have been a conversation she might have with Ryan or Eric and so it never hinted at anything more intimate and Calleigh wanted to keep it that way.

She wasn't ashamed of her relationship with Jake. She just didn't want to make it common gossip around the Department or the Lab for the sake of both of their careers. There were no rules about relationships between personnel; in fact several married couples worked together in both places. Their own forensic entomologist was married to a homicide detective that they worked with on a regular basis.

Evidence gathering done, she returned with it all to the Lab and set to work.

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Eric had taken the items that Calleigh had collected at the McClain house, a little envious that she had gotten to go and not him. He had watched Doug McClain for years and would have loved to see the inside of the football legend's home. As it was, he had handled priceless memorabilia, carefully dusting it all for prints.

He had yet to see Calleigh that day and he was a little anxious to see how she was recovering from their very emotional sideline case as well as visiting Speed's grave. She had tried to hide it, but Eric could see that she had been crying before he joined her at the grave site. He had wanted her to stay so they could share their renewed grief together, but she pulled back; pulled into herself and left him to visit on his own. She was hurting, possibly as much as he was and he had wanted to comfort her. Calleigh hurting, especially emotionally, worried him. He had to remind himself that she was tough and would get over it. Crying in his arms as she had done the previous spring was an anomaly brought on by a titanic amount of stress and he needed to remember that. She was tough and always had been and always would be.

Finally, he did see her and felt relieved. Despite the air of tiredness, understandable with what they both remembered so clearly as well as the pain of Dan Cooper's careless actions, she seemed just fine. Relief washed over him and their conversation, revolving around work, was pleasant and warm. Eric's concern was eased and he went back to doing his job.

He spent hours analyzing the evidence, giving off the wardrobe tape to Valera for DNA collection. He was logging in his end of the evidence when Natalia came in with a large box.

"Hey," he greeted, bent over his evidence log. "How goes it?"

"You know, too much evidence and not enough hours in the day," she replied, looking for a spot to stow he box. Just her luck that it would be well over her head. She could still easily reach it, but it would be a pain in the neck to retrieve it later.

Eric chuckled low, checking that everything was properly signed. "Too true."

With a sigh, Natalia shifted the box so that she could heave it up into the waiting space. She lifted and something suddenly gave way in her shoulder with a sickening stab of pain. Her vision swam as she dropped the box.

Eric heard the box drop and looked over to see Natalia quickly sinking, agony evident on her face. He sprung up, arms encircling her, supporting her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Nat you okay?"

She clearly wasn't. "Mmn-hmn."

Eric knew better. "Yeah? What's the matter?"

The pain was overwhelming. She couldn't just brush it off. "I think my shoulder's out."

Eric processed the information far faster than he thought he could. "Oh boy. Look, okay, you gotta go see a doctor."

She let out a small snort of derision. "I can't because it's going to go on my record and it's going to get out that I can't shoot a shotgun."

He understood, he really did. His visual hallucination was being kept quiet so that it didn't go on his record. It could keep him out of the field indefinitely or even cost him his job. His doctor had just put down that he was on a new medication for headaches due to the bullet fragment. He could still do his job, but Natalia couldn't with a dislocated shoulder. He eyed the misshapen and swollen joint carefully. "Well, it's not going back in on it's own" he reasoned.

He was right and she knew it. She needed help and soon because the pain was beyond what she could tolerate without screaming. The fact that she wasn't actually screaming at the moment was pretty much a miracle. "Okay, well...can you do it for me?" She looked him in the eyes. "Please?"

Eric couldn't stand to see the overwhelming pain in Natalia's eyes. He opened up his mouth to suggest going and seeing Alexx, but what came out was, "Alright. Just relax, okay." He rubbed her arms to get her to loosen up. He had never tried to put a dislocated joint back together, but he'd seen Alexx do it before. Of course that was on a corpse that was all loose and not in pain. He just hoped he wouldn't make it worse.

Natalia gripped Eric's shoulder with her left hand. "Okay."

"You feel loose?"

"Yeah."

Eric kept his voice calm and his gaze steady. "Are you good? Look at me." He raised her injured arm until he had it where he'd seen Alexx place it and then firmly shove up and back, hearing a satisfying snap of the bone going back into place.

Natalia muffled her cry as her shoulder popped back in. A sharp wave of nauseating pain swept over her and she began to black out. Suddenly her arm was placed across her chest and Eric hugged her to him, supporting her. She buried her face in his shoulder, trying to regain her breath, her heart pounding furiously. She closed her eyes and allowed him to support her, realizing that the sharp pain was now just an intense throb; one she could live with. Despite her knees being weak, she pulled away from Eric. "Thank you."

Eric looked her over. She seemed better and he thought he got it right. "You have Alexx look at it later, alright? She won't put anything on your record. You sure you're alright."

"Yeah, I'm Better. I'm just going to stay here until I get my wind back. I'm fine; you go on and get rid of those files, Natalia assured him, leaning against the table.

Taking her at her word, Eric turned, grabbing his files and left her, heading back down the hall.

"Delko."

Feeling too good about being able to help Natalia, Eric couldn't be annoyed. "Stetler. What are you sniffing around about?"

"Horatio's got me working to supersede a court order; reclaim your frozen football star's body," Stetler said pleasantly.

Eric was surprised. "You're working with us for a change."

He didn't want to do it, but he felt he had to with what he just witnessed between the two CSI's. "You are aware of the pending new rules regarding fraternization among officers, aren't you?"

Eric couldn't help the irritation as it seeped back in. The guy just had to kill a good mood. "You mean new as in different after you and Yelina Salas?"

Stetler knew that Delko would take his cautioning the wrong way. "Things have changed. The County's caving into the State's pressure on the issue of sexual harassment litigation."

"That's interesting."

"The Department's redefining it's policies on fraternization of officers. You'd be best served in sharing it with the others in the Lab," Stetler said, hoping his warning got through.

Eric immediately got defensive. Why was he expected to tell Calleigh or Berkeley this? Didn't he already have a hard time making it look like he wasn't seething with jealousy already? He wasn't going to be the bad guy and hurt Calleigh. "Listen, Stetler, if you have something to say to CSI Duquesne or Detective Berkeley, you'd best be served in telling them yourself."

Stetler was confused. There was something going on between Duquesne and Berkeley? Either they were wildly discrete or his radar was on the blink. "Duquesne and Berkeley? I was talking about you and Boa Vista, but, thank you."

With a pat on Eric's shoulder, Stetler left to find either one. Calleigh was in the field, but Berkeley was at his desk at PD. First he'd talk to Berkeley and then when she got back, Duquesne.

Eric felt like the world's biggest traitor. Here he had been trying to protect Calleigh and instead threw her right into Stetler's path. He flipped his cell open and dialed her number, listening to the voicemail message. "Calleigh, hey, it's Delko. I think I might have just put you in a jam. Call me back when you get the message, alright?"

The least he could do is give her a heads-up and admit it was his fault. He hoped she'd forgive him.

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After Calleigh returned to the Lab, she logged in all of the evidence she had gotten from the agent and then Horatio called, letting her know that the agent was now considered a suspect, since McClain's wife confirmed his presence at the crime scene. She hung up and turned around, heading right back out and bumping into Jake.

She smiled brightly at him, not noticing his glum mood at first. "Hey, turn it around, Berkeley. We have a suspect in the Grove."

He hated what he had to say because it would hurt her. But, he reasoned, both of their careers were worth it. "I was just coming to find you."

She still hadn't picked up on his mood. "Great, let's go."

"I can't work this case," he said quietly, sadly.

She turned back around, concerned that something had gone wrong. "Why?"

This was the part that he hated and dreaded. "Because you're on it."

Calleigh was confused. She had no idea what he was talking about. They worked cases together all the time. He had to be making a very bad joke. "What are you talking about?"

"I've just been informed of pending changes in Department policy," Jake said trying to be gentle. He could still see confusion on her face.

"Are you saying that we can't work a crime scene together because we've been seeing each other?" Calleigh asked, beginning to understand.

Jake let his frustration and anger color his voice. He thought the pending rule was stupid. "More like we can't work a crime scene because we might have a falling out and things get ugly and job performance may suffer."

Hurt began to creep it's way into her heart. "You sound like you're a firm believer."

He shook his head. He was anything but. "No. I've just got Rick Stetler breathing down my neck."

"How does Rick Stetler know anything about us?" she asked, trying to not be suspicious of anyone she worked with. Only the team knew anything about what was going on and she knew they'd never tell him.

Jake shrugged. "I don't know." He looked her in the eyes and hated what he was about to say because he knew, especially after how open and trusting she was with him just the night before, that this was going to hurt her badly. He had promised himself that if she gave him a second chance that he wouldn't be the guy he was to her back in New Orleans; the guy that broke her heart. "Listen, I think we should just take a step back and let things cool down a little bit, okay."

That was it, then. She felt her heart begin to hurt and then the first cracks appeared. Calleigh fought to keep the tears out of her eyes as her heart began to break. She had invested too much of herself again and it was happening again. Jake chose his job over her again. He didn't even think to discuss the situation with her so that they could come to some sort of compromise. "Okay," was all she could manage without giving away what was going on inside of her.

She turned away from him and began to walk down the steps just as Eric exited the building and tried to catch up to her.

Eric brushed past a hurt looking Berkeley and jogged down the steps of a very stiffly retreating Calleigh. Something just went on between them. "Hey, Calleigh, I heard you're riding over to Martin Wilson's house. I'm going to ride with you, okay?"

"I think you have to," she said, already beginning to seethe with anger at having her heart broken again.

Eric heard the anger in her voice, but he also heard hurt. "Calleigh, what's up?"

She tried to brush it off. It wasn't something that she wanted to discuss with Eric of all people. "Nothing."

He wasn't going to buy it. If Berkeley hurt her, he'd... "What's wrong? Did I interrupt something?"

Her resolve cracked under her anger. "How does Rick Stetler even have the faintest idea of what's going on in my personal life?" she blurted.

"It was an accident," Eric confessed. Jake didn't hurt her, he did. "I left you a message. I called you."

"I didn't get it," she replied. She knew that Eric didn't like Jake and that he didn't like her seeing him, but she never thought he would have betrayed her trust like that. What was she thinking? Didn't the first betrayal come from her?

"I never intended this to happen, okay. I don't like the situation with Jake, but I wouldn't rat you out. You know that." Eric said, trying to make Calleigh understand. He never meant to tell what wasn't his to tell.

"Let's just work the case," she said. She couldn't talk with him about it until she calmed down and considering the torrent of emotions raging inside at that moment, it was going to be a while. Working the case would help. She yanked open the driver's side door of the Hummer, got inside and gave it an angry slam.

Eric got in on the other side, glancing at her before buckling himself in. "Look, I can drive," he offered because she looked barely contained at the moment.

She started the engine and backed out. "No thank you. I can at least control the car."

"Calleigh, I can't say I'm sorry enough. I didn't do it on purpose," Eric tried to explain.

Calleigh gripped the steering wheel tighter, fighting back forming tears as she cycled back into hurt again. "No, right now you can't so...just don't."


	35. Chapter 35

_**The Plays the Thing**_

The knock came on her door at precisely 6:15 pm. Calleigh rose from the couch and dropped another tissue into the wastebasket before crossing the living room. She cleared her throat to rid her voice of any trace of tears. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Calleigh. I need to talk to you," Jake called softly. "Please open the door."

"You've said enough already, Jake."

He sighed. It was going to be harder to get her to listen than he thought. "No, no I haven't. Please open the door; baby, this is really important. It's about us."

There was silence and then the sound of the lock turning. Calleigh opened the door and Jake's heart clenched. Try as hard as she might, she couldn't hide the fact that she had been crying. He gave her his most apologetic look. "Can I come in?"

She stepped aside. "You have exactly 60 seconds and then you're out of here."

Jake thought fast, his rehearsed speech forgotten the minute he saw her tear stained cheeks. "Calleigh, I'm sorry. I never wanted to break it off with you and I still don't. I think the pending rule is idiotic and I don't agree with it. You're more important to me than some arbitrary rule and I don't want to let you go. I had to say what I did because I saw Stetler watching us. I did it to protect you."

"I don't need your protection," Calleigh shot back.

"Listen to me carefully; I don't want to end our relationship over a stupid rule that may never make it into being official. I said words I didn't mean so that you wouldn't have to put up with the lecture that I had to. Do you understand what I'm saying here? I want to be with you rule or no rule. You're more important to me than that. Let them think we broke up. Calleigh, you're the best thing I've got in my life," he said, his words never more heartfelt than just then.

"So, it was an act?" Calleigh asked, turning her back to him.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I'm sorry you had to go through what you did for the last couple of hours because of it, but there was no way that I could warn you ahead of time. I'm sorry for any pain that I caused you. I didn't want to do it, but, like I normally do with you, wrong thing at the wrong time," Jake explained. He knew he had handled it all wrong when he saw the hurt creep into her eyes back on the Lab's steps. He stepped up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, her shaking shoulders. "Please forgive me and tell me that we're still together."

Still partially emotionally overwhelmed by the anniversary the day before and still reeling from the rapid change of circumstances, all she could do was turn, burying her face in his chest, nodding, fighting the further flood of tears. Emotional upheaval was something, despite the years of practice growing up, that she never did well. It always took her over and she tended to react more strongly, almost to an over reaction state, than the situation usually warranted.

Feeling her silent sobs, Jake held her tighter, shaken. He had never seen her so raw and open and it made him feel all the worse for hurting her like he had, especially considering how emotional her entire week had already been. He pressed soft kisses into her jasmine and vanilla hair. "Thank you. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

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Once Calleigh had regained her composure, it had been agreed that they would give all the pretense of breaking up while still demonstrating that an ending of a romantic relationship would not automatically cause job performance to falter. It was sneaky and deceitful and neither of them were entirely comfortable with it, but if it made the point to the county officers that helped decide to vote down the pending rule change, then not only were they doing themselves a favor, but anyone else that fell in love with a co-worker.

The evening passed quietly and Jake didn't overstay his welcome. He made no advance to stay the night and left when he could see Calleigh needed time alone. If there was anything that he had learned about Calleigh was that she needed an amount of alone time every day and if she didn't get it, she became very stressed and tense. So, with a promise of a future date night, he left, sharing a long, lingering good night kiss that left them both breathless and wanting more.

Calleigh shut the door then leaned her back against it for a few moments and contemplated a few things. She wasn't sure that going back to Jake and keeping it hidden was such a good idea. She certainly had her doubts about it. They would need to be so careful to not be caught; no lingering looks, no extra physical contact, no smiles exchanged. They had to be extremely deceitful to pull it off and she wasn't sure she would be able to do it. She was a terrible liar. If they were caught it was possible one or both of them could lose their jobs. Calleigh needed to ask herself just how much did she care about Jake. Was it enough to put her career on the line?

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A total eclipse of the sun. That was a phenomena that everyone wanted to see, or not since you'd burn your retinas out by looking straight at it. The entire Lab was buzzing about the once in several hundred years occurrence; the last total eclipse being in 1637. Science geeks all, they all found time to get their work done as well as bear witness to the historical event.

Even Horatio stood at his large window with a note card with a tiny hole in it in hand. He watched the shadow from the pin prick on his floor as the sun was slowly obscured by the moon. All of Miami was plunged into near nightfall for several long minutes. It wasn't long after the end of the eclipse that Horatio got the call-out. A young guy was garroted poolside at the Woolrich Hotel during the eclipse. The news sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.

Horatio Caine was not a superstitious man, but something wasn't sitting right with this one. So, it was with great trepidation that he answered the call, almost relieved to find Detective Jake Berkeley already at the crime scene. As little as he knew Berkeley, he understood him to be analytical and practical and if it wasn't for the bad boy persona and the sharp streak of recklessness that reminded him so intensely of Ray, he'd almost consider Berkeley to be a male version of Calleigh. He had the same practical and earthy quality to him that she had. Calleigh was his rock and he just hoped that he had communicated that complete trust in her to her.

Jake filled him in on the vic, a one Ronnie Temple, a local resident. While there had been several dozen prospective witnesses, all eyes were turned to witness the eclipse. No one saw a thing. Horatio allowed himself to foster out the actual gathering of evidence to his top CSI: Calleigh. From many years of personal experience, she'd leave nothing overlooked and everything that could possibly mean something gathered, bagged and tagged. In her eyes, he knew, there was no such thing as too much evidence.

Horatio informed Jake that he'd be calling Calleigh to do the solo processing and took note of the air of discomfort that suddenly surrounded the younger man. He knew from Lab talk that there had been a history between them, but was unaware of anything new that had transpired; certainly nothing to warrant the vibe that Jake was sending out.

"Is there a problem, Jake?" he asked.

Jake shook himself out of the fact that he and Calleigh needed to play act that they broke up and how hard that was going to be for him. "No, nothing. I just thought that I heard today was her day off."

"No, not so. Thursday."

"Oh."

Horatio walked away, his curiosity piqued. Something was going on, or had gone on, right beneath his nose and he knew nothing about it. While his team investigated the murder, he'd do some side investigating on his own to see what he had missed.

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"Calleigh," Jake called after her.

She lifted the crime scene tape, dropping it behind her and kept going, completely ignoring him.

"Okay, that was not your usual passive-aggressive. That was aggressive-aggressive," he said, walking quickly to keep up with her.

"Not now, Berkeley."

He had to admit it to himself. This play acting was actually fun. "I know that tone," he nearly whined at her. "I mean us, this taking a break, was a mutual thing. Right?"

Calleigh was actually having fun, too. It was an excuse to indulge her sarcastic and dramatic sides. "It was; it is. Hey, Alexx!"

Alexx turned to her, all serious business. "Look, I just want to be put on record that this, here, is some bad mojo."

Jake snorted a little. "How do you figure?"

"My grandmother was into astrology and the saying goes that if someone dies during and eclipse, they can't rest until they take another soul with them," she explained dramatically.

Jake couldn't help himself. She was supposed to be a woman of science. How could she believe such hokum? "That's ridiculous."

"Hey, I'm gonna do my job but mojo is mojo, honey," Alexx said eerily.

"Just ignore him, Alexx. He takes everything at face value," Calleigh said with an edge of derision in her voice. She retrieved her camera.

Jake shot Calleigh a look. They were supposed to be acting, right? That sounded way too real. "Well, call me if you get anything; if you still remember the number."

Jake walked away as Calleigh began shooting pictures of the vic.

"I heard you two had to break up because of department rules," Alexx said, sympathy for her obviously hurting friend in her voice.

Calleigh hated lying to Alexx, but if she wanted things to stay calm and IAB to stay away, she was forced to lie. "That's the story. Speaking of stories, I heard on the radio this morning that there had not been a total eclipse in Miami since the year 1637."

Alexx shrugged as if everyone knew what her grandmother taught her. "The path of totality. It's the one time when God himself looks the other way."

Calleigh was taken by this unusual side of Alexx. She had never known the M.E. to be superstitious or believe in astrology before. "I don't know this side of you, Alexx; but I like it."

All kidding and casual talk put aside for the time being the two women got down to work, finding a small metal case that could have contained just about anything. The contents were probably fragile as the inside of the case was covered with a foam egg crate material. Calleigh collected evidence from the case before actually collecting the case as evidence itself.

Calleigh was not a superstitious woman, herself; being a firm believer in science to explain most of the unexplainable, but a murder during an eclipse did strike her as creepy and somewhat otherworldly. No doubt that Ryan would be freaked out by this after the last case surrounding eerie circumstances. Shaking her head, she stowed her evidence box in the rear of the Hummer and headed off back to the Lab.

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Eric shook his head in disbelief after receiving from Mario Montaro all the paraphernalia he had stolen from Ronnie Temple's case. Wolf hormones...the guy was touched in the head. Though, Eric did have to admit to himself that the guy did remind him of a dog; a very scruffy and unkempt dog badly in need of a good grooming and a flea bath.

Eric dumped the contents of the evidence envelope onto the table and began to sift through it all just as Calleigh entered. He felt himself tense slightly. He was the reason that she and Jake had been outed and were forced to break up. He remembered how hard she had reigned in her emotions and how distant she had been with him ever since. He felt horrible that he had caused her so much hurt.

"Is that the stuff that Mario stole?" Calleigh asked, entering and putting her lab coat on. Her voice was all business and Eric supposed that she was still mad at him.

"You mean the Wolfman? Yeah, this is everything that he scavenged from Ronnie Temple's briefcase," Eric told her, unable to keep a small chuckle from escaping his lips. He almost felt foolish telling her about it because it sounded like an old Lon Chaney movie. He picked up a vial and read the label, his eyes widening. I guess Montaro wasn't lying; embryonic hormones, _Canis Lupus._"

Calleigh felt her eyes widen as well, "He injects wolf hormones? Why?"

Eric chuckled again, recognizing the disbelief that echoed his own not too long ago. The casualness of the conversation, while revolving around work felt good and he hoped that it could continue. "The guy wants to turn himself into a wolf."

"Well, Mario made bail and he's got a big firm to represent him," Calleigh told him. She, too, was enjoying the ease that they had fallen back into.

Eric couldn't help it. He just had to make the joke. "Vampires and werewolves, they all run in the same circles."

While he didn't get her to laugh, he did get a smile as she appreciated his joke. Normally it would have made her at least let out a snicker. She had to still be angry on some level. "You're still angry with me about the thing with Jake, right?" he asked, almost fearing the answer.

Calleigh so hated lying, especially to Eric. She and Jake were still together and he only had made them keep it on the "down low" as some would say. For that she was irritated but knew that everything she had had to deal with over the last several days was inevitable anyway. She needed to let him know that so that they could get their friendship back on track. "No, I'm not. You know what, it...it probably would have gotten out eventually even if you hadn't told Stetler and you probably just sped up the inevitable."

Eric breathed a sigh of relief, but wondered at the idiocy of Jake Berkeley. He had thought about it long and hard and had come to the conclusion that the guy was a ladder climbing moron. Yes, there was a certain amount of prestige in being on the day shift in any department. You had regular hours, got the better pay and were usually the ones praised for a job well done. Swing and Nights didn't always get that. But to choose to stay on Days and give up your relationship with someone you're supposed to care about was just plain stupid. Jake mustn't have cared as much as he'd let everyone believe.

"If it would have been me, I'd have transferred to the Night shift," Eric blurted without thinking.

Calleigh looked up at him, a fresh flow of her true feelings for him washing over her. How could she have chosen Jake, who now caught her up in a web of deceit, instead of this honest and honorable man? "That's sweet," she said. She quickly became uncomfortable with the private issue and looked down at the table, quickly turning the conversation back to something professional.

She didn't recognize herself anymore. Two months ago she would have slapped someone if they would have insinuated that she'd go behind the department heads' backs and deceive them about her personal life. Then again, her personal life had rarely come into question before and when it had, she could turn to Horatio and know that he would have her back if things went bad. She hadn't spoken to Horatio at all on this and thought that maybe she should. They hadn't been close at all in the last year and she wasn't so certain that he'd back her up on it. Before it had been about her father, her family and that he understood completely. She wasn't so certain that he'd understand about this, which could be so much more unstable. She knew that she cared a great deal about Jake. He would always own a piece of her heart no matter where life and Fate took them, but possibly putting her career on the line for a relationship she still was uncertain about? Would Horatio have her back? She'd have to think on it, just like so many other things that had to do with Jake. Think on it and then speak to Horatio...or not.

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When Calleigh had heard about Alexx collapsing in Autopsy just after making her first incision into their vic, she had wanted to do something, anything. Instead, Horatio sent over a newly reinstated Ryan and Natalia to do the evidence gathering. Calleigh paced the break room in a frenzy of worry. There had been no word from the hospital and no word from Ryan and Natalia.

It was in this frenzy that Eric found her. He placed his hands on her shoulders to still her frantic pacing. "Whoa, Cal. Take it easy."

She looked up at him. "How can you be so calm?"

Eric could see the deep worry in her eyes and it took everything in him to not pull her into his arms and still that fear. "Because I just know things will be okay. Alexx is healthy and hearty and she'll pull through."

Calleigh shook her head just as her cell shrilled. "I wish I had your confidence...Duquesne...Yeah, Horatio. How is she?...That's good...Everything is normal?...Okay, well, not that's just weird...Keep me posted."

Eric saw her visibly relax during the conversation. "Well, what did he have to say?"

Calleigh took a deep breath. "Horatio said that she's regained consciousness and that the head CT came back normal. She's fine. They're going to keep her for a couple of hours to observe her and if she's still alright, they're going to release her. So, I guess you were right."

Eric smiled at her. "I'm glad I was. Hey, aren't you supposed to be the sunny optimist around here?"

"Yeah, well, the sun was eclipsed."

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Jake watched Delko process Diana Long's belongings for a while. He could see where Calleigh respected the guy and his abilities. He was a damn good CSI. He knew that Delko was protective over Calleigh and didn't like him in the least. He also knew that Delko had unwittingly outed his and Calleigh's relationship, whatever it truly was. He wasn't sure, either. That he cared deeply for her wasn't in question. It was the hot/cold nature of their interactions that puzzled him. Right now was a cold phase and had been since they had decided to go underground with their relationship. Calleigh obviously cared about him enough to do it, even though it meant lying to everyone she worked with and respected. Maybe the deception had been a bad idea after all. Anyway, short of breaking up, he reasoned, that was the only way to go.

Eric covertly eyed Jake for any indication of animosity. After all, he did spill the beans about the relationship and that forced them to break up. Calleigh had been very hurt by it. She hadn't said as much, but her body language had been very telling. Her eyes lost their sparkle and she had been very cold toward him for several days. That she had calmed down and finally forgave him for his transgression gave him hope that their friendship would survive. And, since she had broken up with Jake, he wasn't blind to the possibility of rekindling what had begun smoldering the previous spring. He had to take it slow and give her time to regain her footing before even hinting at anything.

He realized that while he and Calleigh were finally okay, it didn't mean a thing for his and Jake's professional encounters. Eric knew he had to square it away between him and Jake for the sake of any victims they had to process together.

He turned after getting the information about Diana Long from Jake. "There's something I have to say to you so just let me say it. The thing with you and Calleigh and Stetler; I never meant for that-"

Jake could actually see the guilt radiate out of the man and he felt bad. Jake knew that Eric and Calleigh were very close and that they cared a great deal about each other. The guy was trying to make amends. He'd let him off the hook, after all, he did still have the girl. "Save it. She's obviously not too bothered by it. That means I'm not too bothered by it."

Eric nodded, stunned at first. "Okay."

It wasn't until much later that he found himself angry at the homicide detective. How could the guy be so cavalier about it? Calleigh was very bothered by it. He had seen the tears in her eyes and heard her voice catch; he felt the heat of her anger and knew that she suffered. Maybe it really was better that they weren't together anymore. Jake seemed to not care one way or the other about his ex-girlfriend. Maybe she had invested too much of herself in that relationship. Why couldn't she pick the right kind of guy for her? Why couldn't she pick him?

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"Hey Calleigh," Ryan said, popping his head into Firearms.

Calleigh looked up from her scope, a brilliant smile lighting her face. She rose and went to him, enfolding him a warm and welcoming embrace. "I heard you were back! Welcome home."

He hugged her back. "thanks. Listen, Natalia told me that you were really worried about Alexx. Did you know that she's already back in Autopsy?"

"They didn't send her home?" Calleigh asked.

"No. She got a good whiff of phosphine gas and that's what knocked her out. You should go over there and get a good look at the guy's stomach. It looks like shoe leather from all the crystal meth he took. If he hadn't been strangled, he'd probably have died in a little while anyway. Really gross," Ryan explained, easing Calleigh's heart just a little bit more.

She smiled up at him. "Thank you, Ryan. It does my heart good to hear it. I was really worried."

Ryan was Ryan and he plunged ahead. "I heard you and Berkeley are on the outs and that Delko had something to do with it. I'm really sorry."

"It was an honest mistake and the break up was on it's way to happening anyway. Don't think too much about it," Calleigh said quickly. "I was pissed for a while, but I'm over it."

"You sure?"

"Ryan, you're being very sweet, but I'm okay," Calleigh said, appreciating his concern. "But you, Mr. Reinstatement, need to get back to work. I'm still Horatio's second, you know and you're back to being the low guy on the totem pole, regardless what your returned pay scale says. Scoot and let me get my work done."

He flashed her a cheeky grin. "Oh boy, vomit, wet trash, bile and maggots here I come!"

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Another positive interaction, though, again, revolving around work made both Eric and Calleigh feel more at ease around each other. It was going to be hard, they both knew it, to return to their old closeness, but they were both determined to do it.

Even a three on three interaction with Jake didn't break the newly rebuilt bond. Calleigh did have to struggle with not smiling when Jake shot at her with a comment that she had made the day before about him taking things at face value. It was funny and he was being helpful and clever and he had given them their newest break, in fact, breaking the case and pointing the team at the real killer, Nicholas Pike, the night club owner with a rare case of polymorphic light eruption, or an allergy to the sun. Once he broke out in burns and hives after appearing outside in full sunlight without his topical cream it was all over but for the booking.

Calleigh was feeling very satisfied. Alexx was apparently no worse for wear, Ryan had returned to the roost and she and Eric had patched things up and renewed their old bond. She knew that it wasn't necessarily as strong as it used to be, but she was willing to give it time to redevelop. She was feeling much better about things, even though she still needed to keep up the deception about her and Jake. It still sat with her wrong and she meant to talk to him about it.

She stepped out of the Lab, the late afternoon sun kissing her face. At the bottom of the stairs she stopped and closed her eyes reveling in the scientific miracle of the sun, the planets and the stars. There was something to be said for Alexx's grandmother and her astrology. Maybe Calleigh's planets were aligned just right because happiness settled over her as Jake's hand slid briefly into hers and squeezed. She opened her eyes and exchanged a risky brief look with him as he moved away, fingertips just brushing.


	36. Chapter 36

_**A/N: Alright, I'll admit it right now. This is a filler chapter, but we need one of those before diving behind the stories again. I wanted to set up a few things that actually make sense with why things happened the way they did in canon. Like why Jake suddenly disappeared and didn't surface until this season. Hmn...you think he'd have been around when Calleigh was abducted, eh? Anyway, it's kind of random and has nothing to do with anything, just a view into who they are and who they all are to each other. It'll make sense when you read it. Spoilers for my Steel Magnolia are in here if you haven't read it.**_

_**Returning to Normal?**_

"Hey, Natalia, have you seen Eric? I need to ask him something and I can't find him anywhere," Calleigh asked entering DNA.

Natalia looked up from her paperwork. "He and Horatio went to the warehouse to bring Vasco Torres in."

Calleigh felt shock and a certain amount of fear course through her. Horatio happened to be acting like he was immortal and invincible lately and she didn't like the fact that he dragged Eric into what could very well be a fatal encounter for them both. "They what? He's a Cobra Familia and that's deep into Familia territory."

Natalia seemed unconcerned. "They have back up."

"How much back up?" Calleigh asked.

"I don't know; back up," Natalia replied and then looked over at Calleigh not liking how pale she had suddenly become. "What's wrong? Are you okay because you're very pale right now."

"The Cobras are almost as dangerous as the Mala Noche, Nat," Calleigh said as the elevator opened and Horatio and Eric walked out with several uniforms and Vasco Torres in cuffs. Relief that was so sharp as to almost be painful washed through her. She felt her knees weaken to the point that she needed to lean on the lab table. She tried to make it look casual.

Natalia glanced over at her, noting the way she suddenly leaned against the table. "Calleigh, are you alright?"

She straightened up. "Yeah. Just a little leg cramp. Guess that's what I get for wearing heels," she said lamely.

"Uh-huh," Natalia murmured back, not buying it for a second. "Hey, I heard about you and Jake. I'm really sorry."

Calleigh gave her a small, sad smile. "Thanks, Nat. I just guess it wasn't meant to be."

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it or anything? Sometimes a good tub of ice cream and an understanding friend can make it a little better," Natalia offered. She suddenly gave her a wicked grin. "That and shoe shopping."

Calleigh let out a small laugh. "The ice cream and conversation aren't necessary, but I might take you up on that shoe shopping. Who doesn't need one more pair of shoes?"

Natalia returned the laugh as Eric walked in. He stood there, puzzled at what the ladies were laughing about. "Natalia, can I have the lab results from the sweat collection? We've got both Garza and Torres and we need to nail them to the wall for the kid's death."

Still chuckling, she handed him the file. "Sure."

"Hey, Eric, can I ask you something?" Calleigh asked as they moved into the hall. She waited for the door to shut to DNA before turning to him. "Are you doing anything tomorrow morning around, say ten?"

"A Saturday morning? No, why."

"I could really use the moral support. Rugby season starts tomorrow and we're up against the toughest team in the league," Calleigh explained. She already anticipated being bruised and battered by Saturday afternoon.

Eric flashed her a grin. "You want me to come and watch you get smashed into the ground?"

"Yeah."

Eric pretended to think about it for a while. He only vaguely remembered seeing her play before. The bullet in his brain made the memory hazy at best. "And we go out for lunch at that pub again afterward?"

Her grin widened when she knew that she had him. "Yeah."

"Why not? It sounds like fun. Are you asking anyone else from here?" Eric asked, already knowing that he was going to have a good time. "Considering how rough rugby is, maybe asking Alexx wouldn't be such a bad idea."

She gave him a playful swat. "Eric, it's not that rough. And you know that I'm tough and can take it."

"Then it's a date."

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"_It's a date."_

The words continued to echo in her head for the rest of the day. Sure, it was a figure of speech but...Eric said it and when Eric said it it sounded like he wanted it to be a date and that made her insides go all fluttery and made it very difficult for her to concentrate on anything but Saturday morning. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was only fifteen minutes before her shift ended.

_Where did the time go_? Had she really been that distracted all afternoon? She looked down at the paperwork in front of her and sighed, wrenching her thoughts back to work. Maybe the county had something going when they were considering a new rule against fraternization between officers. She wasn't even in a relationship with Eric and look how distracted she'd been. Jake never got her going like Eric just did. Then again, although she was still seeing Jake, and in fact had a dinner date with him in just a few hours, she wasn't in love with him like she was with Eric. She did love him. It was more clear to her now than ever but she was in that oh-so-familiar-and-predictable-no-surprises relationship with Jake.

Shaking her head to clear it, she returned to the ballistics reports in front of her, renewing her concentration. She soon became absorbed in the facts and actually jumped when she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder.

"Calleigh," Horatio said softly.

"What? Oh, sorry, Horatio. I was concentrating and I didn't hear you come in," she said quickly. At least he caught her working and not daydreaming.

"I could see that. I called your name four times before you responded. Is everything alright?" Horatio asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just the Jensen case is weird and I was still trying to get my head around the thirty eight shots that were fired. I mean, who uses that much ammo in a domestic dispute?" Calleigh rambled.

"It's Friday and your shift ended a half an hour ago. Go home. Leave the file for Camden to mull over. He's always leaving files for you. Do him a return favor," Horatio said, giving her a small, knowing smile. "Besides, don't you have something engaging and challenging tomorrow morning?"

She grinned up at him, closing the file. "You remembered."

"How could I forget after the way we all found out last year?" he said. "Do you need a cheering section?"

She shook her head, keenly aware of what she asked of Eric. "No, not this week. We're up against the Vikings and that's a tough team to start your season against. I will need, though, a little slack Monday morning. I know I'm going to get a good beating."

"Done. Now get out of here and get a good nights' sleep so you can outrun those Flankers and don't forget to carbo-load," Horatio advised.

Calleigh pulled off her lab coat and hung it neatly on the rack. "I will. I was thinking of inviting everyone for next week's game. Let me get my clumsies out of the way this week."

Horatio stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a long, thin paper. "Listen, I saw this on line and I thought you'd like it."

Calleigh took it from Horatio and unfolded it. It was a bumper sticker that read: "Rugby players have #'s on their jerseys because the coroner can't identify the bodies by the dental records alone." She broke into a fit of laughter. "Thank you, Horatio. That was really sweet although I don't think Alexx would appreciate it. You're not prone to giving little presents. Why now and why me?"

"I've been a bit distant lately and I just wanted to let you know that I still care. Finding out I have a son made me think about my family here in this Lab and how I've not been as involved as I should have," Horatio said unexpectedly. "Anyway, tear it up out there tomorrow."

"I will."

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Jake stared as Calleigh's plate of pasta was put in front of her. He knew she had a healthy appetite, but that was a lot. "Are you sure you're going to eat all of that?" he asked, cutting his steak.

"Sure," she replied. "I'll burn it off in a heartbeat."

"Is there something you're not telling me? I mean, you don't have to tell me everything, but-"

"Rugby game," she said after swallowing. "I need to carbo-load a little."

Jake shook his head. He should have known. It was October. Of course she had a game. He'd hadn't been able to see her for about a month on Saturdays and Friday nights were cut short without either of them staying over anywhere. He felt like their relationship was suddenly in a holding pattern. "Calleigh, where are we going?"

She looked up from her plate. "What do you mean?"

"We haven't done anything more than casually date for about a month," he said.

"Jake, you're the one that wanted to cool off for a while. We're already going behind the department's backs by still seeing each other. Just dating is probably a good thing right now. If we want this to work, the relationship can't be 90 physical like it has been. I mean, that's fun and all, but I really do want more," Calleigh said honestly.

Jake was silent for a long time. She wanted more. What exactly was more and did he want the same? Why couldn't she be content to lose herself in the sensations like before? "What prompted this?"

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. The whole thing with Cooper and Speed's anniversary made me sit down and think. Neither of us are getting any younger, Jake and we're not going to live forever," Calleigh said seriously.

"So, what are you saying? Is it the biological clock ticking?" he asked, still not understanding.

Calleigh shook her head. "No. I just...I want more. I want a relationship, not just a good time. I want to share the good stuff and the bad stuff and all the stuff in between. I want to have a conversation that doesn't end up in bed. Do you get any of this, Jake? I don't want a baby. I want a partner."

"Don't we have that? Didn't I show you I care about you? How about when you were all down because of Speed? We talked and I let you be you and was nothing if not supportive," he asked, completely confused.

"And we slept together."

"At your instigation, Calleigh. This isn't only on me. It takes two," Jake shot back.

Calleigh put her fork down in frustration. It wasn't going the way that she wanted. "I know that, Jake. It's me, too. I'm not blameless and I instigated it that night and plenty of other times."

Jake felt the frustration flow through him. "Calleigh what do you want from me? Spell it out because I'm confused."

"I just told you. You know what, this isn't working tonight and I never meant to get in a fight with you. I'm tired and I'm frustrated and I can't take the guilt for much longer and I don't want to fight," she said, perilously close to tears. "I don't like who I've become since agreeing to go behind the departments' back. I've always been honest, especially at work. I don't think I can do this much longer."

"So you want to break up, is that it?" Jake asked.

Calleigh sighed heavily. How did it get around to this? How did it all go so bad so quick? "No...yes...I don't know. Maybe I'm just overworked and over tired. You don't have to drive me home. I'll take a cab. I can't do this tonight."

Jake watched as Calleigh stood and walked away without even a backward glance at him. He had never seen her like that and it worried him. What was going on with her? Was there someone else? Was Stetler putting pressure on her? He wanted to get up and go after her but it was clear that she didn't want the game and the chase.

He threw money on the table and got up, following her out. He made it outside the door just in time to see her get into a cab. She was serious in what she said. To him it sounded like she wanted to settle down, maybe have a family. He was nowhere near ready for that. Just being back in Homicide was driving him insane with inactivity and sameness. He was bored, not with Calleigh, but with his work. He wanted like nothing else to back to UC, but he promised himself and Calleigh that he wouldn't if she would give him a second chance. She did and they were where they were and he didn't exactly know where that was now.

Jake walked back to his car, knowing that he had some serious thinking to do and figure out just what his priorities were and what order they were in. Things were now at a crossroads with Calleigh; that much was clear. That she was having such a hard time with the deception was telling to him. Maybe she was discovering that he wasn't enough of what she wanted. Maybe she wasn't enough of what he wanted. Maybe just the sex was what was good between them because every time they tried to have a conversation lately it was either sex or fight. Calleigh was obviously straight in her mind what she wanted. Now Jake had to get himself in order and admit to himself what he really wanted and what was the most important to him. Just what was it?


	37. Chapter 37

_**A/N: This is Stand Your Ground but I chose to go behind the on screen action and let most of the episode be seen through Calleigh's eyes...sort of. Since everything pretty much happened to her and she was the main storyline, I let the chapter revolve around her. Hope you like it.**_

_**Leaning on Loved Ones**_

The phone shrilling woke her. She glanced at her bedside clock. 2:30 am. Calleigh fumbled for the receiver and held it up to her ear, wondering what grizzly crime scene could have possibly occurred so that Horatio would pull her on duty in the very middle of the night on her day off. "Duquesne," she said hoarsely.

"Calleigh, this is brilliant! I couldn't have written an better paper!" Bob's voice enthused to her at the ungodly hour.

"Johannes Robert Wetendorf, do you have any idea on this planet at my latitude and longitude what time it is?" Calleigh virtually shouted. Now that it wasn't Horatio, Calleigh was rather annoyed.

"2:31 am." came the calm reply.

"Yes, it is and I was sleeping, getting a good night's sleep. It's something intregal to keeping me alive in my line of- Did you just call my work brilliant?" Calleigh asked, suddenly realizing that having one's work called brilliant by one of the leading physicists on the international stage was something huge.

"Yes, I did. Your paper on the physics behind the corner shot housing was eye opening and riveting reading. Do say that you're going to have a lecture tour," Bob said.

Calleigh sighed, running a hand through her tousled hair. "Bob, I'm not even awake enough to appreciate your praise. I have tomorrow, now today, off and was planning on sleeping in a little and then having brunch with my boyfriend. Bobby, I have a life and would appreciate it if you'd call during normal human hours. Not everyone is a non-sleep-needing Time Lord."

"Sorry Leela," Bob said, using his nickname for her as an apology. "I'll give you ring in human time. I am proud of you, Little One."

"Thanks, buddy," she said, her speech already slurring as she began to drift back off. She only managed to hang up on absolutely autonomic response.

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Calleigh managed to get another very needed six hours of sleep before she rose and made her way to the bathroom, showering slowly, enjoying the luxury of extra sleep and extra morning time before dressing and heading out to meet Jake for brunch.

She arrived at the cafe to find that Jake was already there and had a drink in front of him. She leaned over, placing a soft kiss to his lips. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," he purred, eying her forest green t-shirt, dark jeans and leather jacket. She looked fabulous. "I didn't get to ask you; how was the rugby game Saturday?"

"We lost and I took a hell of a beating," Calleigh said as a waitress placed a mimosa in front of her, handing her a menu. "Thank you. I have a huge bruise on my right hip from hitting the goal post. But it was the only goal we scored all game so I guess a little pain was worth it."

Jake shook his head. "I can't picture you playing such a rough game."

She took a sip of the champagne and orange juice drink before replying, "You wouldn't have to imagine it if you'd show up for a game. I think you might actually like it."

Jake shook his head. "I don't think so. Watching you possibly get hurt isn't my idea of fun."

Calleigh gave him a soft smile and ordered brunch. "I'm really sorry about how I behaved on Friday. I don't know-"

"Calleigh, you had a point and if I didn't really need to make this a quick brunch I would stay and we could talk about it and figure out where we stand," Jake said as his food arrived. "Bernstein had to go home early so I have to go in. I have to be in by 1:00. I'm sorry the Captain called just before you got here."

"Oh no, Jake, that's fine. I understand," Calleigh replied and she did really understand. Jake was still the new guy and the newbie always ends up being called in on their day off, in the middle of the night, weekends, holidays... "Hey, my paper on the corner shot was finally published."

"Yeah?" Jake asked as his pager went off. "Dammit. I've got to go. There's some sort of blow up and I'm being called in. I'm so sorry, Calleigh."

"Don't be; go. I've got the tab. You get the next one," Calleigh said.

Jake shoveled a little more of his meal into his mouth and chugged the last of his mimosa, placing a quick, yet passionate kiss on Calleigh's lips. "I will. You're the best."

"I know," she quipped as he strode away. She leaned back in her seat, wondering if it was too late to cancel her order when it suddenly appeared in front of her with another mimosa. She sighed, thanking the waitress and began to eat, choosing to enjoy the pleasant warmth of the day. Her time with Jake was yet another bust so she began to plan out what she could do with her day off. The brief thought of visiting the firing range flitted through her head before the promise she had made to Eric months ago about days off being just that and to never again engage in work related activities if at all possible.

Paying the check, she rose and decided to do a little fall wardrobe shopping. She could use a new pair of shoes and maybe some new blouses for work...she got into her car and started the engine and then everything went bad. The gun in her face and then the car speeding toward her. She fired her gun and then the car crashed through the sporting goods store window.

Everything went so bad so fast. The driver was dead and the passenger escaped and she had to call in an off-duty officer involved shooting with two fatalities. One that she was solely responsible for because the woman had only been a customer in that store.

Before she knew it, Rescue was there as were a slew of uniforms and she was sitting dejectedly in the rear of the emergency vehicle being tended to by the EMTs.

Frank waited until they finished their examination, deeming her unharmed, before he approached. "Calleigh, what happened?"

She looked up at him and almost burst into tears. Clamping down on her emotional response, she explained everything that happened.

"Can you describe the guy that shoved the gun in your face?" Frank asked, not liking how shaken she looked. She was pale and her eyes were slightly glassy with shock. She was trembling and he knew that she was holding back tears.

She thought hard. He had a Smith and Wesson with a wood grain grip, but try as she might, she couldn't remember his face or what he wore or even what his voice sounded like. "No I can't. I'm sorry, Frank, I just-"

"That's alright. You're a little shocky right now. It'll probably come back to you when the adrenaline stops pumping so hard," he said understandingly as a department Hummer pulled up, Horatio and Ryan getting out. "I'll go let them know you're okay. Calleigh, you call me if you need anything, anything at all; you hear me?"

She nodded, giving him a ghost of a smile. "Thanks, Frank. I will."

Frank walked away and she vaguely watched the guys process the scene. She half expected Horatio to come and check on her, but, instead, he concentrated on gathering evidence. He did glance her way more than once while speaking with Frank. Everything passed into white noise as the sight of the dead customer, the innocent woman, kept flashing before her eyes. Shooting someone she could handle. If she was shooting at someone, then she was either defending herself or bringing a bad guy down. That never bothered her. But she caused the death of an innocent bystander and that she could not live with. Tears welled in her eyes and she felt her resolve to remain professional begin to fail.

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Eric cut the connection with Horatio and grabbed his kit, flying out of the Lab at a less than professional speed. H had said that Calleigh had been involved in an off-duty officer involved shooting and, while she was physically unharmed, she was still a material witness and that he wanted Eric to get her statement and then help with the processing. It was a big scene.

Even knowing that Calleigh was alright, he made it to the crime scene in record time, his heart in a knot of worry over her. He screeched to a halt and jumped out, scanning the area for her. He finally found her seated in the back of the Rescue wagon, the EMTs seemingly unwilling to let her get up and move around. He could see why; she was in shock. Eric's worry rose exponentially as he approached her, sitting next to her. As he looked at her he could see tears standing in Calleigh's eyes. He rubbed her back.

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as Calleigh felt a familiar and reassuring hand on her back. It belonged to the one person in the entire world that she wanted to see more than anything at the moment; Eric.

Her voice remarkably steady she began, "I don't know what happened. I was just at a brunch...down the street."

Despite her being physically in one piece, she could be more torn up than anyone could guess. Eric remembered what a high level of emotional stress did to her and he wanted to make sure that she was okay that way, too. "Are you going to be okay?"

Calleigh began to shake her head no as the tears threatened again and then took a deep breath and nodded. She didn't want Eric in a panic. The vision of Valarie Gaynor, the innocent victim, flashed through her mind's eye again. "There was a woman in that building; an innocent woman."

Eric knew the weight of the guilt was crushing her and he didn't want to add to it, but he knew he had to ask, even though she seemed completely normal to him just then. He reached out and stroked her hair, letting his hand gently trail down her back, trying to soften the blow of what he had to ask. "Listen, Calleigh, I have to ask you something and I don't want you to take it the wrong way. I know you're off duty. Have you been drinking?"

He was right. If anyone but him had asked that question she'd have been offended. It still hurt that he asked it, but so had the paramedics. She had been drinking, but it had been with a brunch and it was so very little that there wasn't even a mild buzz. "You know, the paramedic asked me the same question." She could feel him stiffen beside her and she realized that the admission hurt him, too. "I had two mimosas but it doesn't have anything to do with what happened. It's my day off."

Eric's own heart hurt to hear the pain in her voice. He saw her struggle for composure and he just couldn't sit there and not help. He slid his arm around her shoulder. "You don't have to explain anything to me. I understand; I believe you. It's just not me that you have to worry about."

A single tear rolled down her cheek as Eric gave her a gentle pull. The rest of her resolve broke and she laid her head on his shoulder and wept. Eric wrapped his arms around her and held her while she vented her grief. No, she was nowhere near drunk. She was shaking from the adrenaline rush and wracked with guilt, but that was all. Eric rocked her, speaking softly to her until she calmed. When she pulled away, he handed her his handkerchief to wipe her eyes.

"Thanks, Eric; for everything. For believing me," she said, wiping her eyes.

He gave her a soft smile. "Cal, how could I not believe you? You've never lied to me before and you wouldn't now. I know alcohol is a touchy subject with you and you're always incredibly careful when you have anything to drink. You never get drunk."

"Yeah. I just-"

Frank came up to them. "IAB is circling. Stetler already let Horatio know that he wants you a PD ASAP. Damn buzzard."

Calleigh stood. "It's alright. He's probably got a whole slew of questions that he wants to ask me considering I'm the officer involved in the shooting and two fatalities took place. Let me get my keys and-"

"He wants a police escort," Frank said inwardly wincing.

"What?" Eric asked, dumbfounded.

"I didn't like saying that. If it were up to me, I'd let you drive yourself over," Frank continued. "But he said that there may have been alcohol involved and he didn't want a possibly intoxicated driver behind the wheel. I think it's horse hockey because you look perfectly fine to me. You're as drunk as I am."

She gave him a smile. "Thank you, Frank. I appreciate that."

The Southern Gentleman took over. "Listen, Calleigh, why don't I give you a lift? I'll run you back over to pick up your car later. There's no need to have to embarrass you by having some patrol officer escort you."

"Frank, you're an officer and a gentleman," Calleigh quipped, trying to raise her spirits as they moved off to his car.

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She was feeling more than just humiliated as she paced Horatio's office, hands balled into fists at her side. "He put me under Administrative Tactical Review! Can you believe that, Horatio? I have a nearly spotless record since becoming a cop and he's calling my actions into question because I had a breakfast cocktail at brunch on my day off? On my day off?"

Horatio's voice was soft and soothing although he was nearly as angry as she was."You know he's had it out for you for a while, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. He has. And he knows...or maybe he doesn't know. My dad and his drinking. I know I rode the line when he thought he killed somebody but I don't think Stetler knew anything about it," she said, sitting down on his couch.'I know you wouldn't say anything to him and no one else here would have either."

"I'm sure he doesn't. Now what can you tell me about what happened after you left your brunch this morning?" Horatio asked, pointedly placing a tape recorder in front of her and repeating the question.

Calleigh took a deep breath and recounted everything she could remember. She went slowly and into as much detail as she could. She still couldn't describe her attacker, but she gave a full description of his firearm and the number of shots she fired at the car as it tried to run her down. Once she was finished recounting everything, Horatio turned the recorder off.

"You didn't do anything wrong and I'm going to make sure this is the end of it. You can't be in the field right now until they lift the tactical review, but you're welcome to stay if you want. We could use your help," Horatio said.

"Horatio, thank you. That makes me feel a little better," She said as her pager went off. She read the text message. "I think I'm going to go and check in with Alexx."

Horatio exchanged a knowing look with her. "She's probably worried about you. I wonder if Valerie Gaynor's body has arrived. Could you find that out for me while you're visiting?"

"Sure thing."

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She was sick of it; of the roller coaster ride that her emotions were taking all day long. After talking to Alexx and finding out that Valerie Gaynor was already dead, she couldn't help but feel relief. At least she hadn't killed an innocent bystander. That relief had been short lived and by the time she got back from talking to Jake she didn't know what to do. Because of his extra drinks on the bill she paid for, she could lose her badge and her career could be over. She knew that Jake had been making excuses; she'd heard them all by her eighteenth birthday. Maybe in some ways he was like her dad and she just couldn't continue that relationship anymore. If she had room to feel one more emotion she'd say that she was heartbroken by the decision, but she had no place for it.

The locker room door opening broke her out of her thoughts as did the footsteps that approached. Eric turned the corner to find Calleigh in an emotional state that scared him. She was nearly frantic but with which emotion, he couldn't tell. He came closer and just opened his arms. "Calleigh."

She shot into his embrace and buried her face in his chest. Eric understood. He always understood and she'd been an idiot to run to Jake. She could see that just then. If Stetler, the Chief of Police and the Mayor all walked in on them she still would be powerless to stop herself. For the second time that day she dissolved into miserable tears.

Eric's grip on her tightened and he wondered what had gone on to put her in that frenzy again. All he knew is that he needed to soothe her, calm her back down because if Stetler saw her in the state she was in, he'd do more than just put her on tactical review. "Querida, hush. It's gonna be alright. We'll make it through this. We've all got your back. You didn't do anything wrong and we're all going to prove it. You did it to save your life. Please calm down now."

Wonderful, understanding, comforting Eric. His touch, his scent, his voice soothed her immensely and she snuggled into him, even though she knew that they could be disturbed at any time. She normally could handle everything life threw at her, but not just then. She found that she needed to lean on someone stronger than her; someone who didn't make excuses. She had protected Jake by not giving his name when Stetler asked for it. Would he do the same for her? She wasn't so certain. Eric would. He'd protect her and shelter her because that's who he was.

With a few last deep breaths she reluctantly pulled away from him. "I'm sorry about that."

"I'm not. I'm glad I was here for you," Eric said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not here and not now. How about over dinner tonight? If I still work here by the end of the day, I'll cook you dinner," she said, trying not to break down again.

"We're all behind you, Calleigh; you know that. H is putting me back out in the field again since your statement. I just came to get my badge and gun from my locker. If I find anything that helps to corroborate your statement, I'll call you," he said, retrieving his things. "Are you going to be alright if I go? I can stay a little longer if you need me to."

She shook her head. "Go get my evidence."

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Several hours later the only thing that coursed through Calleigh was incredible satisfaction. Eric had found the bullet, her bullet, that blew apart Pete Morton's testimony and ended her tactical review. Stetler even was forced to apologize, yet it never really sounded like one to her, but she was beyond caring. Her career, her life, was made right again and she wanted nothing more than to have Eric over for that dinner and that conversation. She leaned back in her chair in the interrogation room and closed her eyes, a slight smile on her lips. She remembered something that Horatio had said a long time ago. The best defense was a clean life. It was.


	38. Chapter 38

_**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up but my hard drive crashed....like in the blue screen of death.....and it took me forever to put all my programs back in and get everything reorganized. The good to come out of this? I now have a hard drive 3x larger than the one originally put in. Things are lightning fast now. Sigh.**_

_**Where Do We Go From Here?**_

Eric had been covertly watching Calleigh for days and he was, frankly, worried. She hadn't seemed all that rattled once they put Pete Morton away and her good name cleared but something just seemed off with her. She smiled and responded in much the same old way, but, yet.....he couldn't put his finger on it. She seemed sadder somehow; more somber. He wanted to ask her but he didn't want to pry. Returning to his fingerprints, lest he be accused of daydreaming, he tried to put the matter out of his mind for the time being.

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Eric had been absolutely correct about Calleigh's mood. She did feel sad and somber and all for one reason. She hadn't seen or heard from Jake in close to a week. She kept replaying over in her mind the last conversation that they had and she was sure that all she brought to his attention was the fact that him working the case could be seen as a conflict of interest. She had made no indication that she wanted anything to stop and she had tried calling him repeatedly, only to get his voicemail or answering machine. She had even asked Frank, in most casual way she knew, if he had seen Jake anywhere. Frank had replied that he hadn't seen him in a good week and he thought the guy might be on vacation. As day passed into day a feeling of abandonment began to creep in, souring her mood and darkening her sunlight.

It was nigh onto the second week that she boxed Jake's things and put them in the garage for if or when ever he decided to show up. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and a complete stranger stared back. Her hair had gone limp and lifeless, her complexion pale and her eyes unusually large and reddened by not enough sleep and too many tears.

"I need to stop this; I can't keep doing this to myself. Jake is gone. He chose his job over me _again _and I just need to get over it and move on," Calleigh said to her own reflection. She had already noticed the concerned looks she was receiving from her teammates in the Lab and wondered how long it would be before anyone started asking questions. Before she could stop herself, her eyes welled with tears. "Why do I always fall for the wrong one?"

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Not wanting any more undue attention from her teammates, Calleigh took extra care in readying herself for work. She soothed her reddened and puffy eyes with eye drops and used a slightly deeper foundation and a little extra blush to cover over the paleness of her skin. She even took extra care to give her hair a little curl and volume before leaving for the day.

Firmly pushing any and all thoughts of Jake from her mind, she exited the locker room and strode down the hall to the break room for her morning coffee and to read over her messages. She sat down, sipping her first cup and was going through a case file when Natalia walked in.

"Hey, Calleigh," Natalia said, coffee in hand.

Calleigh looked up. "Oh, hey, Nat. You're here early."

Natalia smiled at her. "Just taking the example from my mentor. Besides, I have an appointment at the shooting range this afternoon so I wanted to get in early so I can spare the time."

"If we get a call-out, I'll rotate in for you if you need me to while you're at the range. How are you doing with that, by the way?"

Natalia looked away, still embarrassed by some of her shortcomings. "It's coming along. I'm getting better with the handgun, but I've only tried the shotgun once." She shook her head. "You make it look so easy."

"Nat, I heard about your shoulder. Don't be embarrassed. I grew up shooting a shotgun and hunting small game. I'm just glad you weren't hurt worse. Next time come to me and let me know. I'd be the last person to laugh at you. I've had enough accidents of my own to know they're not funny," Calleigh said seriously.

"I can't believe that you've ever had a problem with anything that you can aim and shoot. You can fire anything," she praised.

Calleigh's cheeks colored slightly and she gave a small chuckle. "It was a JBL Sawed-Off Magnum Double Sling Speargun that bit me hard. That thing nearly took my right shoulder off. I knew the thrust it had just not the kick it would give me on dry land. That thing was made to be fired in the water and I conveniently forgot that. I had a technicolor bruise the size of my fist and I can't even begin to tell you how much that hurt."

"What happened?"

Her eyes lit at the prospect of telling the story. "A treasure hunter was found with a spear straight through him, pinning him to his own boat hull. So, once Alexx freed up the spear from the vic and the hull, I hit the firearms locker to see what we had. The spear fit two exemplars and I pulled them both. The first one couldn't even get into the gel block, let alone the hull of a boat. So, I tried the Magnum and it was the right one, alright, but I got hurt."

"Did Horatio ever-"

Calleigh shook her head. "He saw the bruise but didn't know how bad it was and I wasn't about to tell him. Our detective did since he was there at the time of the experiment and he's the one that squealed to Horatio. I wanted to kill Hagen for that. As far as I was concerned, it was just a job hazard and nothing to make a fuss about. Besides, I was a little embarrassed about it. I _am_ the firearms expert and all."

"Then you know that I want to keep it to ourselves. How did you find out?" Natalia asked, fascinated by the fact that Calleigh still made mistakes with her work. It made her feel a whole lot better.

"Eric told me because he was worried about you and rightfully so. He knows that I've been training you so he thought I should know. I won't make a big deal about it and I won't put it on your record," Calleigh said understandingly. "Accidents happen when we learn new things, Nat. We're allowed to have them."

Natalia closed her eyes in relief. Calleigh was her friend, sure, but she was also her supervisor and had to take official actions whether she wanted to or not. "Thanks. I really appreciate it. I promise to be more careful in the future."

Calleigh smiled at her, taking another sip of coffee. "Good."

"Speaking of good, you look really nice today. Normally I wouldn't say anything but you've been a little.....I don't know: not looking like yourself lately. Is everything alright?" Natalia asked. She didn't want to pry but Eric hadn't been the only one concerned about her of late.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Calleigh said quickly.

"I thought you might have been a little rattled by the whole nearly getting run over thing accompanied by the Stetler stuff. No one would have blamed you if it upset you more than just a little," Natalia commented, watching Calleigh carefully.

_Damn her for being so intuitive. _She was right; Calleigh had been very rattled by the whole thing and really needed someone to lean on. That someone was supposed to have been Jake and he hadn't been there. He hadn't been anywhere and she had to deal with how she felt on her own, adding growing feelings of abandonment to the mix. Eric had offered but she didn't want to impose on or strain their renewed friendship. So, ultimately she dealt with everything that had gone on alone as she always had done. This time it hadn't been as easy and keeping up the cheerful facade was almost impossible. She knew that people noticed the struggle she was having and gave her space.

"Well, I'm over it, Nat. I was rattled but I'm okay now. Having your career nearly ripped out from underneath you just because you did what you had to to save your own life is pretty big. The good thing is that we got to break up a major drug ring in the middle schools and save a lot of kids a lot of trouble," Calleigh said cheerfully. "That's a lot of future crime we won't have to deal with."

Sensing that Calleigh was still avoiding something more upsetting and having the sense to steer clear, Natalia said, "Well, I'm glad that you got your wind back. Hey, I know what it's like to have your career ripped out from underneath you. You ever want to talk about it, you can come to me."

Calleigh smiled at her, knowing that the offer was genuine. "Thanks, Natalia. The worst of it has passed. I'll be fine."

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Eric had flat out said it. He was ready to settle down and have a family if he found the right girl. He knew that Jake was out of the picture and had been for a while and while Calleigh seemed to have finally bounced back after the break up he had hoped that he'd waited a decent time before making his interest known to her. He knew that she'd be extra cautious now and all his earlier impatience with her skittishness had to be made invisible. Jake had hurt her with the break-up; hurt her again. Eric had watched her struggle through the pain and just remained a supportive friend in the background.

She hadn't sounded displeased with the statement and even said that he'd make a great dad. In fact, there was an almost imperceptible note of interest in her voice. If he hadn't known her so well for so long he would have missed it. He had wanted to ask her about it or push the subject with her: casually so she wouldn't shy away, but doing so while investigating a murder suspect's bedroom just wasn't the time and place. He had let the matter drop, planning on bringing it up to her in the future when the right time came along. This time, he'd be more aggressive in his part of the game and make certain that there would be a right time.

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The thought of Eric being a dad had grabbed her imagination, firing it; charming her. She pictured him playing with his children; one of each, both with his beautiful brown eyes, heads topped by curly dark hair. He was rolling on the grass with them, being their "horsey" and tickling and laughing. He'd read them bedtime stories and help them with their homework. He would be such a wonderful dad. She was startled out of her reverie by the sudden, overwhelming desire for those children to be hers and Eric still their father. The revelation shocked her with it's intensity. She desired it more than ever; desired Eric more than ever but she had hurt him so badly and didn't know if he'd ever be receptive to her again. She would have to go softly and carefully, making certain that he didn't shy away from her.

She put her head in her hands and sighed, getting up from her microscope and stretching her cramped back. Time is what she needed most and she knew that while time could be a friend, it could also be a bitter enemy. Time had almost stolen him from her almost a year ago. Fate gave him back to her and she'd squandered that chance away because she had been too afraid. What she needed was a little time to make certain that her renewed interest in Eric wasn't just a rebound and that the feelings were real. If they were and Eric still wanted her there was still that pending no fraternization rule which they would have to heavily consider. The real question was: where did they go from there?


	39. Chapter 39

_**Full Circle**_

Eric sat in the locker room, head in his hands. He couldn't help feeling like a failure after what happened that day. He didn't freeze on the docks, not really. The terror that had ripped through him at the sound of the gunfire had been debilitating; the flashbacks that accompanied the terror was almost his undoing. He couldn't have told reality from memory; parking garage from loading docks. He felt his eyes prick with bitter tears of disappointment and anger.

"Hey, where are you?" a soft Southern voice asked. Calleigh sat beside him, her hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. She frowned in concern at the tension in his muscles and the utter air of defeat that permeated the atmosphere. "Come back to me."

"I'm fine, Cal. I'm just beat," Eric said lamely.

"No, don't even try it. Are you still thinking about what happened today?" Calleigh asked gently. He had been embarrassed earlier, but she knew that Eric would end up brooding over it simply because he tried and struggled so hard to be "back to normal" as if he hadn't been shot in the head nearly a year ago.

"I failed."

Calleigh felt her heart clench. This was horribly reminiscent of his first day back. He had nearly quit and it took everything she had in her arsenal to get him to take it easy on himself and give himself a chance to get back on an even keel at work. "No, no you didn't. You didn't fail, Eric. You had a flashback. You said so yourself. And, you know what? It's entirely understandable considering everything you've been through in less than a year. Give yourself a little slack."

"No. I let him get away just because-"

"Because you couldn't control when a flashback happens? Oh, come on, Eric, be real. You couldn't control that any more than you can help breathing. Please don't do this to yourself," Calleigh nearly pleaded. She scooted closer on the bench and rested her head on his shoulder. When she spoke, her voice was soft and tender. "I can't even imagine what it's like to have a bullet lodged in my brain so I can't begin to understand how you're feeling right now. I don't know what it's like for you every day. I can only imagine and even that probably falls far short of the reality. Eric, right now, as far as I'm concerned, I'm resting my head on the shoulder of a miracle. You fought to live and then you fought to relearn almost everything. You're a miracle."

Eric listened carefully to her words, hearing the almost imperceptible hitch in her voice. She was close to tears; tears for him. When did that happen? Like he had done in the back of the ambulance a few weeks back, he slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close, not caring if anyone walked in on them. "Thanks, Calleigh. I'll be fine, you know."

"I know, you're just not fine right now. Eric, I thought you understood that you can talk to me about anything that's on your mind; good or bad.," she said softly.

"You know that you can do the same with me and you didn't, even though I could see you needed to," Eric said, already feeling better about what had happened. She was right; he couldn't control the flashbacks if and when they happened. "Why didn't you come to me?"

She sat perfectly still, the only sound was their steady breathing. "I, uhm, didn't......it was something that.....I didn't want to bother you with it since it had to do with Jake. I know he's a sore subject with you and if -"

"Calleigh, yeah, I don't like the guy. I never have, but you can still tell me. It was after those guys tried to kill you. You seemed okay at the end of the day but you weren't. What happened?" Eric asked, knowing that he really didn't want to hear the answer.

"Eric."

"Talk to me," Eric insisted.

The sound of the door opening and a locker being rummaged through broke the moment and Calleigh pulled away from him. "Not here."

Not wanting to be overheard by the rummager, he kept his voice to nearly a whisper. "Alright. It's the end of our shift anyway. Let's clock out and go for a walk. You're not getting out of this, Calleigh. You were in undeniable pain and wouldn't let me help you through it then. I'm not taking no for an answer."

She stood and opened her locker, pulling out her purse, placing her gun and badge inside. She couldn't help acknowledge that it pleased her to feel Eric's concern wash over her. She basked in it, knowing that she and Jake were over for good. Even if he showed up tomorrow with a logical explanation for why he hadn't contacted her in over a month she wouldn't take him back. Eric was the reality. He was imperfect and was still going to struggle, but she admitted to herself that she wanted him, struggles, imperfections and all. "That sounds good. I realize that we haven't really talked in a while."

The rummager, Ryan, came around the corner. "Oh, hey, I thought I heard voices. Are you two heading out?"

"Yeah, Wolfe. The day is done and so are we. You heading out?" Eric asked.

"No, I'm still the low guy on the totem pole. I have some extra paperwork to deal with. Natalia clocked out early so she could get some time on the range," Ryan said. He leaned against a bank of lockers. "I'm finishing her paperwork."

Calleigh couldn't help but grin at him and his hand dog expression. "Chivalry isn't dead, then. It's really nice of you, Ryan. I'm sure Natalia appreciates it because I know how hard she's been working to get her firearms proficiency."

Ryan pulled himself off the lockers and gave them both a little salute. "Then I'd better get back to being chivalrous. Good night."

"See you in the morning," Calleigh called after him.

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The park was deserted when they finally chose a bench to sit on. Calleigh leaned back and closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze on her upturned face. She knew that she couldn't stall much longer but she also didn't want her love life laid out like one of Alexx's autopsies. She was well aware of Eric's eyes on her and of the hurt she was going to cause him talking about it.

"Come on, Calleigh," he coaxed gently. "Talk to me about it."

She sighed. "Are you sure you want me to do this because it's going to have things in it that you're not going to want to hear."

"I can take it," Eric said. He reached over and held her hand. "We had just finished putting Pete Morton away. Start from there."

She looked down; couldn't look at him. "When you asked me if I was going to be alright, I really thought I was. I just wanted to go home and be....be with Jake. Eric, we didn't break up when we said we did and I'm sorry for lying to you. If that hurt you, that wasn't my intention. I just.....I'm not sure anymore. That's why he asked you to get the bullet out of the tree because if it ever came out that we were still seeing each other and that he handled the evidence that exonerated me and put Morton away, it could be seen as a conflict of interest.

"Anyway, when I got home, he wasn't there, so I called him to see if he could come by. I got his voicemail. He never stopped by. I wasn't fine because I had nightmares and flinched when I heard a car engine rev up. I needed Jake to be there for me. I needed to talk to him, but he wasn't there. I know that I could have gone to you; should have gone to you, but I didn't really know what was upsetting me more-not being able to handle the emotional repercussions of nearly having my life and career ripped out from under me or the man I was involved with suddenly disappear from my life," Calleigh stopped, knowing that she was going in a direction that she didn't really want to take Eric.

Hurt that she lied to him sat square in his chest but they had lied to the entire department and so he knew that he shouldn't take it personally. "Go on."

"I'm not good with this, Eric; you know that. I can't give voice to it like you can. Let's just say I was hurting a hell of a lot and didn't feel like I had anywhere to turn because anyone I would tell thought the break up happened months ago not just a few weeks ago so I suffered in silence and I know it did things to me," Calleigh admitted, fighting the lump in her throat. "But I'm better now. I really am. I realized that if he came crawling back to me with a perfectly reasonable explanation on why he disappeared with no word or notice that we're done. He's not worth the pain."

Eric had been watching her as she spoke and realized that she still wasn't alright, but she wasn't in the crushing heartache that she must have been in. If he would have been a vengeful man he would have told her that it was her just deserts for breaking his heart a few months ago. But he wasn't a vengeful man, at least not anymore. That sense of vengeance left him the day a bullet buried itself in his brain. He slid closer to her and drew her into an embrace. "But it still hurts a little, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. I got used to having someone around and he had changed in the years we lost touch. Not enough, I guess. I figure the lure of the UC life was just too much for him and I just wasn't enough," she said, burying her face in Eric's shoulder.

Eric's grip on her instinctively tightened. What a beating her self-esteem must have taken lately. First Stetler grilling her and putting her on Administrative Review and then for Jake, the guy that she had chosen to be with, suddenly ups and leaves her with no notice at all. If it were him, he'd be feeling down, too. "No, I think you were too much for him. You're too good for him. Guy like him doesn't deserve a woman like you."

Her voice was thick and the moment very dangerously charged. "Eric, please don't say those things."

Eric would not be deterred. After all the times she picked him up when he was down, less than an hour ago a prime example, he was not about to let her hurt one second more. "I will say them and mean them any time you need me to. Calleigh, the woman that has been by my side, especially this past year deserves more than what Jake gave you. You've been my savior in so many ways. You've taken a beating lately so just rest on me now."

She nodded, grateful beyond any words she possessed and she vowed that she would do her best to never hurt him again. "Alright. But Eric, this turned into something all about me. What about you? Are you better than you were in the locker room? Are you okay with what happened to you today?"

"I'm not okay with it all the way, but I will be," Eric said, slipping a finger under her chin and tilting her face up so he could see her eyes. "Taking care of you helps me take care of me."


	40. Chapter 40

_**A/N: I wasn't really inspired by either Miami Confidential and Raising Caine so I thought I'd go outside the box for a chapter or two. We haven't seen our CSI's outside of work for a while.**_

_**CSI:FLU**_

_**pt.1**_

Eric sniffled and blew his nose _again. _He felt terrible, but he needed to finish up the fingerprints for the meth lab case. It was just so hard to concentrate. Every time he bent over to look through his loop, all the mucus ran to the front of his face and then right out his nose and then he'd have to take off his gloves and blow and then clutch the table as a wave of dizziness made his head spin. He was tired of it.

"Hey, man, you look like death warmed over," Ryan said, carefully keeping the table's width between them. Delko was sick and had probably contaminated everything in the room, save the evidence. The last thing Ryan wanted was to catch whatever creeping crud that was thriving in Delko. "Why don't you just call it quits and go home?"

"Do, I'b albost done," Eric wheezed back.

Ryan gave him a stern look. "Delko, you're sick and need to go home before you infect the entire Lab. Don't make me call Alexx."

Eric trained bloodshot eyes on him. "You wouldb't dare."

Ryan picked up his phone and dialed. "Alexx, can you come up here and take a look at Eric? He looks worse that some of your patients down there and I think he needs to go home but he won't listen to me.....Great. She'll be right up."

"You little weasel," Eric said and then coughed into the crook of his arm, which started his nose running again. By the time he had completed the blowing the nose ritual, Alexx's cool hand was testing his forehead for fever.

"Baby, you're burning up. You need to go home and get into bed right now. You have the flu," she declared, crossing her arms. "Now don't you even try and tell me that you can finish out today. I don't even want you to drive yourself home."

"Alexx..." Eric positively whined. He felt like a four year old being scolded by his mommy.

She gave him "that look" and grabbed his wrist, dragging him into the hallway, bumping into Calleigh, already on her way out. "Calleigh, where are you headed?"

"I'm out for the day. Eric, you look like hell," Calleigh replied.

He gave her a sour look. "Thadks."

"Because I need someone to take this big baby home and make sure he stays there. He has the flu, honey, and I do not want him trying to drive. He can barely stand up on his own," Alexx explained.

"I'll take him. Come on, Eric, I'll drive you home," she said, slipping her arm around his waist and slowly bringing him down to the garage and into her car. He really did look bad and she thought that Alexx was right; there was no way that he could drive himself home without getting into an accident. He was hot to the touch and his eyes had an unhealthy, feverish glow to them. Despite the heat of Miami, he shivered uncontrollably.

"You just close your eyes and take a little nap. I'll wake you when we get to your place," she said quietly. His head probably hurt, too.

Realizing that his medicine cabinet was probably woefully understocked, she stopped at the nearest chain pharmacy and got all the flu supplies she could think of, leaving Eric dozing in the car. She was back in mere moments and was relieved to find him still napping in the front seat. She couldn't help herself; she reached over and ran a gentle finger down his cheek. "You poor thing."

"Mnbufffth," Eric mumbled, causing Calleigh to hastily draw her hand back and start the car.

Calleigh drove to his place in silence, deep in thought. Eric rarely ever got sick, but that was before the shooting. Now, with the cocktail of drugs he had to take each day just to function, she wasn't too certain about his immune system anymore. She made a mental note to call Alexx after she got Eric settled and see if there would be any adverse interactions with anything she bought.

It wasn't long before she pulled up in front of Eric's apartment building. "Hey, sleepy-head, wake up. You're home."

Groggily, he opened his eyes and stared at her. "Yeah. Thadks, I cad take it frob here."

As he got unsteadily to his feet, she shot around the car and slipped her arm around his waist once more. "Not on your life, Delko. You're going to let me help you. You're in no condition to take care of yourself."

They slowly made their way up the walk and into the lobby and then up to his floor, weaving to and fro as Eric's larger frame and heavier weight made him unwieldy to handle.

A door cracked open. "Is that you, Eric, mijo?"

"Yeah, Bissus Bartidez," Eric slurred.

She cracked the door open wider, seeing Calleigh. "Is he drunk?"

"No ma'am, he has the flu," Calleigh said quietly, struggling with his lock. Finally, she swung the door open and shoved him inside.

"That's too bad. If you need help, just knock on my door and I'll be over."

Calleigh gave her one of her brightest smiles. "Thanks, Mrs. Martinez. I will."

Mrs. Martinez shook her head thinking that if Eric hasn't been sick, he and the girl would make a lovely couple, even if she wasn't Cuban.

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Calleigh had finally wrestled Eric into his bed and threw his pajamas at him before leaving to call Alexx. Alexx had assured her that everything would be fine with what she had gotten and to call if he got worse.

"Eric, are you decent?" Calleigh called from the outside of his bedroom door.

There was a rustling sound. "Yeah."

Calleigh pushed his door open and entered carrying liquid cold and flu medicine, menthol rub and some ibuprofen to bring his fever down. She handed him a box of tissues before uncapping the liquid and measuring out the correct dosage. With a raised eyebrow, she watched him swallow it and the ibuprofen. "I talked to Alexx and she told me to tell you that you have to rest. Now I want you to lay down and get some sleep."

"But, Calleigh, you dobn't have to take care of be," he protested weakly.

She graced him with a soft smile. "You'd do the same for me and I'd argue with you just as much. Take a nap and when you wake up I'll have something for you to eat. Go on, lay back."

Eric lay back on his pillows and took the jar of menthol rub. He held it out to her. "Put this od by chest?"

"Don't push your luck," she said firmly.

"I'd do it for you," he attempted.

She raised her eyebrow at him. "Eric, even sick you're incorrigible. Give me that."

Calleigh took it out of his hand and uncapped the rub, the strong smell of menthol and herbs making her eyes smart. She took a small blob on a couple of fingers and breathing on it a few times to warm it, she slid her hand under his t-shirt and carefully massaged it in. She couldn't help but notice how muscular his chest was or how firm those muscles were. Thoughts beginning to travel in a not so innocent place, she pulled her hand back out. "Better?"

Eric smiled at her, a slight glint of feverish mischief in his eyes. "Buch, thadnk you."

Calleigh rose from his bedside and wiped the remaining rub from her fingers with a tissue. "Get some rest."


	41. Chapter 41

_**A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews. I'm glad you're all enjoying this part of the story. Not to steal an idea from another author that had Eric catching a cold from Calleigh, but, it's your vote: Should Calleigh catch Eric's flu?**_

_**CSI: FLU**_

After making certain that Eric was soundly sleeping, Calleigh went down the hall and tapped on Mrs. Martinez's door and asked her if she'd keep an eye on Eric since she wanted to run to the store to pick up a few things for him. Mrs. Martinez smiled indulgently at her and told her to vamanos and get what was needed. Calleigh flashed her a grin and grabbed her purse.

Good as her word, she got what she wanted and returned quickly, finding Mrs. Martinez mopping Eric's overheated brow with a cool cloth.

"Young lady-"

"It's Calleigh."

"Calleigh, he's burning up," the older Hispanic woman said. "I think you might want to call a doctor."

Frowning, Calleigh leaned over and felt his forehead. "No, he's no warmer than he was when I left. In fact, I think he's cooler. He took some ibuprofen to bring his fever down. Thank you for watching him for me. I want to make him some homemade soup and I was missing a few things."

She raised her eyebrow at the younger woman. "You're making him soup from scratch? I thought young people only opened cans and "nuked" things."

"Not me, ma'am. Anything that's any good comes from your hands and heart," Calleigh said before she could stop herself.

Mrs. Martinez took a good long look at the blonde. There was more to her than met the eye. If she was going to take care of Eric, then, perhaps he was in good hands. "Then I'll let you get on with it. Call me if you need anything."

Calleigh walked her to the front door. "I will and thank you again for staying with him."

Once she closed the door, Calleigh returned to the kitchen and set to work on sectioning off the whole chicken she bought, setting it all to boil in the largest stock pot Eric had and then to cutting up the celery, onions and carrots. Knowing it would take some time before the chicken and water would become actual broth, she decided to check on Eric. He was muttering softly and frowned a few times in his sleep.

Sitting at his bedside, Calleigh took the cloth from the cool water and began to gently bathe his face and neck to help soothe him. "Shhhh, Eric. It's just a dream; you're safe." Gradually Eric calmed into a peaceful sleep once again.

Calleigh bathed him for a while longer until the aroma of chicken finally drifted to her. The broth was ready. She rose and went into the kitchen, pulling the now thoroughly boiled chicken from the broth. She set it aside to cool and then slid all of the cut vegetables and a good, healing amount of crushed garlic as well as sea salt and a mixture of flavorful herbs into the broth to cook. She placed a lid of the pot and turned it down low. She took the now cooked chicken and pulled it from the bones, shredding it into chunks and dropping that back into the pot. She had just finished draining the noodles and placing them into the soup when she heard Eric cough.

Calleigh put the soup back on low and went to check on Eric. "Hey, how do you feel?"

Eric scooted into an upright position. "A little better. What are you still doibg here?"

"Taking care of you. You need it right now, trust me. Are you hungry?" Calleigh asked, sitting at his bedside.

"Dob't get too close. But I could eat," Eric said, covering his mouth with a tissue. The last thing he wanted to do was have her catch what he had.

She took the tissue from him. "Relax, I'm healthy as a horse. How does chicken soup sound?"

"That soubds great. Let be get some pabts on abd I'll be in the kitched."

"No way, Delko. You stay right there and I'll be back with your soup. I swear to God, if you get out of bed for any other reason than the call of nature, I'll put you in the hospital," Calleigh warned dangerously as Eric made to get out of bed anyway.

Eric looked at her and saw the expression on her face. She meant it. He settled himself back in and smoothed the covers over his legs. "Okay."

She fixed him with a stern glare. "Good. Stay."

Smiling, Calleigh turned and went back into the kitchen to fix him a tray. She chuckled to herself at Eric's willingness to be intimidated by her. She poured him a half glass of port wine and a generous amount of hot soup. She remembered months ago that he had said that he had often employed the combination to help kick start his immune system. Placing the drink and soup on the tray along with some crackers, she returned to his room to find him still sitting up in bed and flipping channels on the small television.

"Excuse me; you turn that off," Calleigh ordered. She placed the tray over his lap. "You need rest, not stimulation. Now eat."

Eric cocked an eyebrow at her dorm mother attitude and took a good spoonful of the still steaming soup. He doubted that he'd be able to taste it, but it was warm and soothing. As he ate, the steam from the soup began to help his nose clear a bit and suddenly, he could taste the soup and it was delicious.

"Cal, this is great soup! Where'd you get it?" Eric asked as he took a sip of the port.

She colored slightly. "I made it."

"Yeah, I know. What brand is it so I can buy it from now on?"

He flush deepened. "Duquesne."

Eric looked up from his meal in surprise. "Hobebade? You webt to all the trouble of baking be hobebade soup?"

She shrugged, pleased that he was enjoying his meal. "Yeah. Homemade is the best when you're sick. And it wasn't any trouble at all. Besides, I wanted to do something to make you feel better."

There was a slight pause and then Eric took her hand in his, forgetting that he was a walking petri dish. "I feel better already. Thadks, Cal; I really appreciate it."

Calleigh looked down, slightly embarrassed, but didn't pull her hand away. "You'd do the same for me."

"Do I wouldb't. I cad't bake soup frob scratch."

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After Eric finished eating, they played a lighthearted game of Chess before he started to get sleepy again. Calleigh rubbed a little more menthol rub on his chest and made him put it on his sinuses and under his nose to help him breathe better. She turned out his light and let him rest.

She made herself at home with a bowl of her own soup, laced liberally with Louisiana hot sauce, and sat down to watch the evening news when a soft knock sounded at the door. Looking through the peephole, Calleigh saw a familiar face.

"Hey, Horatio," she greeted, opening the door.

"I, uhm, I would have called but I didn't want to wake Eric. How is he?" Horatio asked. If he was surprised to see her there, he didn't show it.

"He's still feeling lousy, but at least he's resting. Why don't you come on in? I was just about to have a bowl of soup. Would you like one?" Calleigh asked, ever the Southern hostess, even if it wasn't her home.

"I don't want to put you out," Horatio hedged while his mouth watered at the aroma.

"It's simmering on the stove and it's no problem. I can always make more. Soup is easy; it's not rocket science," Calleigh said flippantly over her shoulder as she reentered the kitchen. In no time at all, she had a bowl of soup and a cup of coffee in hand.

"Thank you, ma'am," Horatio said, taking the offering. He ate in silence for a while. He had forgotten how much he missed Calleigh's cooking when they'd meet at her place to go over case files or to just review a few things. She always had something fresh and good for him when he rang the bell. He couldn't remember when they had last been alone to discuss anything. "Calleigh, I think I owe you an apology."

"Horatio-"

He held up his hand and stopped her. "No, please let me finish. I haven't been around much. I know that. I've been distracted by personal things and I realized just now that while I've trusted you with so many things, I haven't had your back. I haven't been there for you and we really haven't said more than a dozen words to each other since Eric was shot. I was wrong. I know I sort of apologized earlier this fall, but I want to do it again. I made it hard on you and I'm sorry."

Calleigh's breath left her lungs. She had never heard Horatio admit to being wrong about anything before. Granted, he didn't know just how hard it had been, but that didn't matter. He saw what he'd been doing and realized it had been wrong. "Apology accepted, though you know-"

"Calleigh," he said, stopping her with her very name. "A lesser person would have broken under the strain I put you under. I realize that one day you'll be promoted and you'll have your own team to run. Today is not that day although you deserve it, you don't deserve the stress."

"Thank you, Horatio. I needed to hear that. I'm fine now, but I haven't been alone and I'm grateful for that. Can you stay with Eric while I go home and collect some things so I can stay and keep an eye on Eric? Calleigh said, quickly changing subjects so Horatio wouldn't guess how much his support meant to her.

"I'd be happy to," he replied.

"Good, then I won't be too long. Take good care of him."


	42. Chapter 42

_**A/N: Since it's been requested.....you know what's going to happen.**_

_**Sharing is Caring?**_

Natalia hurried down the hallway, eager to get her bullets to Calleigh for analysis so they could finally close the case. The more time she spent of the firing range trying to learn to wrangle her firearm into stubborn obedience, the more heroic and legendary Calleigh became in her mind. The woman had skills; skills Natalia would dearly love to possess just a tiny fraction of.

She turned the corner into the lab portion of Firearms and was greeting with a very unexpected sight. It was 2:00 in the afternoon and Calleigh was sound asleep, head pillowed on her arms, seemingly snuggled up next to her comparison microscope. Natalia approached and gently shook Calleigh's shoulder. Even through the lab coat, she could feel an unhealthy heat radiating off of her co-worker.

"Calleigh, hey, come on, get up," she said softly.

Calleigh started, coughing. She rubbed here eyes and looked around, almost not seeing her surroundings. "What?"

Natalia frowned and brushed the hair out of Calleigh's eyes. "You were asleep and right now you don't look too good."

"Thadks, I'll bake dote of it," Calleigh said stuffily. She felt terrible, worse than she did when she woke that morning. Her head hurt, her throat was raw, her face felt huge and her chest hurt. She couldn't move a muscle without her body protesting loudly and to top it off, she was dizzy. "What tibe is it?"

"Time for you to call it a day. Calleigh, I think you caught Eric's flu," Natalia said. If she wasn't so worried, she would have found Calleigh's speech comical.

"I'b fide. I'b off id ad hour adyway," Calleigh snuffled.

Natalia fixed her with a concerned stare. She couldn't believe that Calleigh had just said she was fine. The stubbornness of the woman! "You are _not _fine and I'm sure the minute Horatio would see you he'd send you out of here. Go home, Calleigh, please. Do it because I'm worried about you. Please, sweetie, go home and get some rest."

"Datalia-"

"Hey Cal....whoa, what hit you?" Eric asked, swinging into the room.

"Your flu, Eric," Natalia said accusingly. "And she's being too stubborn to admit to being sick and she won't go home. I can't talk any sense into her. Maybe you can?"

"Cal, you really do look sick and I can hear it from here. You're all congested and I'll bet you're achy and tired," Eric said soothingly, feeling horrible about getting her sick.

"She was asleep when I came in and I'll swear she's running a fever," Natalia snitched. "She feels hot as hell through the lab coat."

Eric stepped in close and felt her forehead. "You have a fever. You caught my flu and I'm sorry I gave it to you. You really need to go home because I know just how bad you're feeling right now. You'll feel a whole lot better at home and in bed with flu medicine making you drowsy and dreamy. Come on, let me take you home."

"Eric, I'b not sick abd I do dot deed to go hobe!" Calleigh declared wheezily and stood. The entire lab tilted and she lost her balance.

Eric caught her quickly and held onto her. She was burning up. "That's it. You can't stand up straight. You're going home. 'Talia, can you get Calleigh's things from her locker and let Horatio know she's sick and going home and that I'm taking her?"

Natalia smiled at him, relieved that Calleigh's protests had stopped. She was some Steel Magnolia. "Sure thing. I'll meet you down by your car."

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Eric pulled up in Calleigh's driveway and looked over at his napping passenger. She looked so peaceful and he knew she needed every minute of sleep she could get so he didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, he dug in her purse for her keys and got out, trying each of her keys in turn until he found the one that opened the lock. Returning to the car, he opened the passenger side door and picked her up, effortlessly carrying her in, kicking the door shut behind him. He knew her place by heart, carrying her into her bedroom and depositing her ever-so-gently on the bed. He took off her shoes and covered her up.

Remembering how tenderly she cared for him while he was ill, Eric set about trying to do as well for her as she had for him. She had made him soup from scratch. He didn't know how to do that. He could make empanadas, and fried plantains and any number of staple Cuban foods, his old comfort foods, but he couldn't make good old European chicken soup from scratch. He did the only thing he could think of.

The phone was finally picked up. "Mami.....no, I'm better.....It's Calleigh, Mami, she caught my flu and has it so much worse......yes, of course I'm going to take care of her. She can hardly take care of herself right now. I need some help. She made me chicken soup and it was so comforting. I don't know how to make it like she did......Thanks Mami.....I will. Natalia said she'd come by after shift to keep an eye on Calleigh so I could get some of my things. I'm moving in for the duration just like she did for me.......Thanks, Mami. I love you."

Eric hung up and began to feel better about caring for the woman he infected. Suddenly there was a loud thud from the bedroom. Fearing the worst, Eric rose and shot to the doorway. Calleigh lay on the floor, flailing, trying to right herself, which in her disoriented dizzied state, she couldn't do. He picked her up.

"What are you doing?" he asked gently, holding her against him.

"I have to....I need to.....I'm going to... vomit!" Calleigh managed as she began to retch.

Eric lifted her and situated her in front of the toilet bowl, keeping her hair out of her face as her body emptied itself. Finally, she lay exhausted and shaking in his arms. He whispered soothing nonsense to her and carried her back to her bed. She whimpered in discomfort as he laid her back down only to return to her side with some ibuprofen and cough medicine. He coaxed her to take it, even knowing how upset her stomach was. She managed to swallow it all and lay in a miserable puddle surrounded by blankets and pillows. He thought desperately for anything that might soothe her unsettled stomach. He remembered seeing a box of peppermint tea bags in her cupboard. Reassuring her that he was only in the kitchen, he left and made her a cup of tea, making certain to steep the brew for a long enough time for it to be of maximum effectiveness. Sweetening it with a touch of turbinado sugar, he was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

Natalia stood smiling on the other side. "So, how's she doing?"

"Terrible," he confided, ushering her in. "She's just puked up her entire stomach and is absolutely miserable. I gave her some stuff to help her, but I need to go and get medicine that going to do something. Can you stay with her and get her into some pajamas while I go get everything? Please, 'Talia? She needs Theraflu and cough medicine and vaporub and chicken soup and a million things that she doesn't have in her medicine cabinet. She's never sick."

"Okay, okay, you don't have to beg. I'll help. Go and get the stuff she needs. I'll take care of her until you get back," Natalia said with a small chuckle. That Calleigh was sick wasn't funny; Eric pleading with her was.

With a quick thank you, Eric was gone and Natalia brought Calleigh the tea, sitting with her bewildered colleague until every drop was drained and drowsiness from the cough medicine began to take effect. She managed to coax the ballistics expert into a set of jammies before too long. Natalia cosseted and petted Calleigh until she finally fell into an uncomfortable sleep, tossing and turning with fever dreams.

Natalia went into the kitchen and got a small tub of cool water and a wash cloth and began to bathe Calleigh's overheated face and neck as she slept. The doorbell rang and Natalia had no choice but to answer it.

Before her stood a medium height Hispanic woman. "Can I help you?"

"Where is Eric?" the woman asked.

"Why?"

Because I am his mother and this is the address he gave me. You are not Calleigh. Where is my son?" Mrs. Carmen Delko demanded.

"Oh, Mrs. Delko, I'm so sorry. I'm Natalia Boa Vista. I work with your son and Calleigh. He went to the drug store to get supplies for Calleigh. Please. Ma'am, come in," she explained, opening the door wide.

Carmen Delko entered, looking the other woman over. "You work with my Eric?"

"I do. And Calleigh...she's been training me as a CSI. She's my mentor. She's also a wonderful friend. I can't tell you how much I owe her," Natalia babbled to this very commanding Hispanic woman.

"Good, then you can help me. Where's the kitchen?" Carmen said.

Natalia showed her the way and Carmen set about making any number of comforting foods Calleigh might crave in the coming days of convalescence. She was just instructing Natalia in the fine art of Cuban empanadas when Eric returned.

"Mami, thank you for coming," Eric greeted his mother with a kiss.

"Eric, mijo, take this to your dear sick Calleigh," she said handing him a bowl that smelled like heaven. "Make sure she eats every spoonful;."

He gave his mother a peck on the cheek. "I will."


	43. Chapter 43

_**This so happened to me last year. I got a flu shot and I still came down with the flu. Missed a whole week of work, too. The quote that Eric reads is from Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind".**_

_**Sharing is Caring?**_

_**pt. 2**_

Calleigh threw up the first bowl and the second: Eric was beside himself with worry. He couldn't get any nutrition into his dear, helpless Calleigh. While one day wasn't too much of a concern, a second day was and that was what Eric feared would happen. He had held Calleigh's hair out of her way while she threw up a second and third time. He was concerned that she was dangerously dehydrated, but when Alexx examined her later that evening, she cleared Calleigh, at least for the time being. If she kept vomiting everything up, she'd have to be hospitalized and monitored carefully. Influenza, while it lost it's terrifying air over the decades, was still fatal if not checked and treated properly. People still died of it every day. Eric was determined to not let Calleigh join that population. She had a flu shot. Why was she suffering so?

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Eric asked Alexx the exact question when she stopped by during her lunch break the next day.

"Because, honey, she had the shot that was only effective against 40 percent of the viruses out there," Alexx said soothingly, "She must have picked up one of the other 60 percent."

Eric felt miserable with guilt. "Did I do this to her?"

"I really don't think so, Eric. But I can guess that it didn't help with all the extra time she spent at the lab and all the time she lived by you. It's not the same bug, though. That much I can see. It's more in the respiratory tract than in the sinus cavities. It's more in her chest than head," Alexx diagnosed, but not unkindly. "This is the kind that can mutate into pneumonia if it's not watched carefully."

"So it's all my fault," Eric said, feeling like Typhoid Harry.

"No, not at all. This is a different flu bug. Well, it's hitting her differently. Eric do you know that there are about one hundred different flu bugs out there every year? Honey, you're not responsible for any of it," Alexx explained.

"Then why do I feel like I infected her? " he asked.

"Because you just naturally feel guilty," Alexx said, patting his cheek. "But it's possible that while her immune system was keeping your bug out, this nasty customer snuck in. Let's just worry about getting her better. Is she still throwing everything up?"

"No, she finally kept a little broth down this morning and some tea not too long ago," Eric explained as he peeked in the bedroom door. Calleigh was still sleeping peacefully. He was grateful that the fever dreams had already disappeared and her sleep had turned peaceful and restful.

Alexx nodded. "Good, that means the medicine is starting to work. Eric, she's going to be fine; it's just going to take some time. You don't get over the flu overnight."

Eric was still worried. He had never seen Calleigh quite so ill before. She was always the caretaker, never catching the illness herself."Yeah, I know that but she can't really hold the cup or bowl for long."

The M.E. nodded, patting him on the arm. "Of course not and you couldn't either when you first got sick. I'm sure you barely remember the first day or so. You could hardly walk and despite trying to be entertaining for Calleigh, she had to hold your cup for you, not to mention feed you because you couldn't manage on your own. Listen, if she doesn't improve in the next 24 hours then we'll think about more drastic measures. Just keep doing what you're doing."

He checked his watch. "She should be getting up in a little while. She's on a two hour sleep cycle. She'll sleep for about two hours and the be up for a bit. I've been trying to get food into her while she's awake. I'm going to warm up some broth."

"You do that and I'll go and sit with her while you do," Alexx said, quietly pushing Calleigh's bedroom door all the way open. She crossed the room and sat on the bed, watching her friend sleep.

Calleigh stirred, opening her eyes. They were still bright with fever, but not delirious. "Alexx, what are you doing here?"

Alexx smiled at her. "Just checking on you. How are you feeling?"

"I still feel awful. I can't remember being this sick before. Where's Eric?" Calleigh asked, trying to sit up.

Alexx gave her a little hand, noting that she was still very warm. "Making you some broth. Calleigh, are you taking anything to bring your fever down at all?"

"I think so. Alexx, Eric hands me things and tells me to take them. I do. I don't even know what I've had besides the Theraflu and only because it tastes like lemonade. All I know is that Eric is taking good care of me. He's been wonderful," Calleigh said and then a wet, crackling cough wracked her body, stealing her breath away. Once she caught her breath, she spit into a tissue and tossed it in the wastebasket next to her bed. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Alexx said kindly, mildly concerned about the crackling cough, as Eric brought in two warm mugs.

He set one on the nightstand and held the other, himself, sliding into the bed next to Calleigh. He slipped his arm around her and held the edge of the mug to her lips, tipping it so she could drink. She greedily gulped it down, the warm chicken broth sliding soothingly down her throat. All too soon it was gone and she sighed, resting her head on Eric's shoulder.

"Whoa, you're not done yet. You still have some medicine to take," Eric cooed softly, taking up the other mug and repeating what he had done with the broth. He exchanged a look with Alexx. Calleigh finished the mug and tossed the covers off of her, making to get out of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Alexx asked.

Calleigh coughed again. "Where do you think?"

Alexx held out her hands in case Calleigh needed steadying. "Do you want any help?"

The blonde stood and waved off Alexx's hands. "No, I'm good. I'm not really dizzy anymore. Thanks anyway." She unsteadily made her way to the hall and into the bathroom.

Alexx stood, not wanting to overstay her welcome nor overtax her friend. "Calleigh, honey, I need to get back to the morgue. You just relax and work on getting better. Have Eric give me a call if you need anything."

There was the sound of water running and then the door opened and Calleigh leaned wearily in the doorway and coughed. "I will, Alexx. Thank you for checking up on me. Eric, a little help?"

Eric slipped an arm around her waist. "A little dizzy?"

"A bit."

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Alexx let herself out while Eric had settled Calleigh back in bed. Once making certain that she was comfortable, he turned to leave.

"Eric, will you stay?" she asked softly.

He was alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing I just....I don't want you to think you have to leave. I could use the company," Calleigh said.

Eric sat on her bed and tenderly stroked her hair. "Querida, I want you to rest and get better. I don't want to keep you up when you need to sleep."

She rolled onto her side and looked up at him. "I want to be awake for a while; keep me company. Please?" She dissolved into a fit of coughing that made her face flush red from the exertion.

Eric had her sip some water until the fit subsided. He eyed her carefully; she looked considerably weaker to him than she did before the fit. He grabbed a thick book and held it in his lap. "Calleigh, no more talking. It's making you cough too much. Why don't I read to you? You were reading this in the break room the other day. Why don't I pick up where you left off?"

"Eric-"

"Shhhh, no more talking," he admonished, opening the book to the page she had marked and began to read, " 'The bright glare of morning sunlight through the trees overhead awakened Scarlett. For a moment, stiffened by the cramped position in which she had slept, she could not remember where she was. The sun blinded her, the hard boards of the wagon under her were harsh against her body, and a heavy weight lay across her legs....'"

Calleigh shut her eyes and let Eric's warm voice reading lines from her favorite book lull her to sleep.

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It was the loud, crackling, wet sound that jarred Eric into wakefulness. It was followed by what sounded like a desperate attempt to pull air back into depleted lungs. At first he was disoriented and then it struck him-Calleigh. He threw off the light blanket and ran to the door of her bedroom, knocking it open. In the dim light that spilled in from the hall, he could see her fighting to breathe while harsh, agonizing coughs wracked her body. Thinking quickly now that he was completely awake, he sat her up, supporting her weight as the terrible coughing subsided and she was once more able to breathe normally. Finally, she rested against him, panting slightly, trying to regain her breath.

"Calleigh, maybe I should take you to the Emergency Room," he said softly into her hair as he continued to hold her.

She stubbornly shook her head. "No; no hospital. I don't need to go; it's just a cough."

"This flu of yours could become pneumonia. Alexx told me this afternoon. I'd really feel better to have you watched by people that know what they're doing," Eric explained, feeling undeniably helpless. He had never known Calleigh to even have more than a mild sniffle before and now this....this flu that grabbed her and knocked her flat, leaving her healthy vitality a memory.

"No. I want to stay here; you're doing great. See, I can breathe fine now," Calleigh said hoarsely. "It's easier if I'm propped up a little."

"I'm calling Alexx," Eric said, settling her back on the pillows.

"You are doing no such thing; it's 3 a.m.," Calleigh reasoned. "Let her sleep."

"That cough is worse and you're having a hard time breathing. I don't want anything to happen to you," Eric insisted.

In the dim light, Calleigh took in his worried features and realized for the first time that he was scared for her. She let out a series of wet coughs before speaking. Her voice, while hoarse was soft and gentle. "Everything always seems worse in the middle of the night, especially if someone is sick. If it's still bad tomorrow, in the light of day, then you can take me in or call Alexx. Right now we're both tired and need to get more sleep, especially you. Go on and go back to bed."

"I think I'd rather keep an eye on you," Eric said, knowing that arguing with her would be futile. She wouldn't allow him to do anything in the middle of the night.

Again, she knew he was scared for her and it touched her in a way she had no vocabulary to describe. She knew she should shoo him from the sick room so he wouldn't catch her illness, but didn't know how without hurting him. "Eric-"

Suddenly he was in the bed with her and pillowed her head on his shoulder. His hands stroking her hair and rubbing her back, all so very soothing. He lay his cheek on her head. "Hush and sleep now. You said that it was better if you were propped up a little. It's better if I can keep an eye on you so we can both go to sleep now."

She wanted to protest, she really did, but her eyes were already so heavy and her mind already woolly with sleep that thinking and replying was just not going to happen.

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Eric didn't really sleep; he was worried too deeply over Calleigh. He sat up most of the night listening to her breathing, making certain that there were no problems. Calleigh's breathlessness and cough had frightened him badly. Horrid scenarios of what could have happened if she had been alone danced through his mind, denying him any real sleep.

The next morning dawned to find Calleigh sleeping soundly, her breathing even and gentle. He slid out from under her and gently laid her back against the pillows. He brushed the back of his hand across her forehead, relieved that her fever appeared to be going down even further. While he felt better about it, he still didn't want her out of his sight or earshot for all that long. Confident that she'd be alright for a short while without him, he showered and changed, making himself a little breakfast before calling Alexx.

She had sounded concerned over the coughing, but gave him the name of an over the counter cough medicine to alleviate Calleigh's distress. She asked if he wanted her to stop by and give a quick exam, which he gratefully accepted. Alexx offered to stop by the pharmacy to pick up the medicine she suggested on her way over. That helped ease his mind over his beloved's health a little more.

Alexx put her stethoscope down and frowned. She did not like what she heard one bit. "Honey, that flu is beginning to move into your lungs and that's why you can't breathe right when you lay down."

Calleigh's eyes widened in alarm. Before she could speak a fit of coughing overtook her and she desperately fought for breath. Finally, she could speak. "It's become pneumonia, hasn't it?"

"No, not yet, but it's heading that way. I know I can get in trouble for this, but I'm going to do it anyway. I don't want this to get worse while you're waiting to see someone from the County Health Plan. I'm going to write a prescription for antibiotics and I want you to take every last one of them, no matter how good you feel. And just for good measure, forget about the OTC cough meds, I'm giving you something stronger. It's narcotic and going to knock you out hard but I think you'll be fine. Take it only as directed," the M.E. said, standing up.

Eric walked her to the door. "Are you sure she's going to be alright?"

"Just make sure she takes the meds and gets plenty of sleep. I don't want this to go any further."

"I knew I should have called you last night but Calleigh talked me out of it," Eric said. "She said that it was 3 a.m. and to let you sleep."

"She was right. A couple of hours wasn't critical. Make sure she has plenty of fluids and I'll call you when everything is ready," Alexx looked up at the tired, worried face. "Eric, baby, are you taking care of yourself?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, Alexx."

"Don't lie to me, Delko. Once she's out cold from the cough medicine, and believe me, she will be, I want you to lay down, too. And you need to remember to eat. You're going to relapse if you don't pay attention to your own needs, too. Promise me that you'll do as I say," Alexx said in a tone that Eric didn't dare contradict.

"I will; I promise I will, Alexx. You won't have two of us on your hands," Eric assured her.

Alexx gave him a long hard look before she was apparently satisfied. "You'd better. The prescription should be ready in about an hour. Tell Calleigh that I'm taking care of it. Call it being an old fashioned country doctor."

Eric smiled at her, relieved that help was within reach. "Thanks, Alexx"


	44. Chapter 44

_**A/N: This is entirely ironic that I have both Eric and Calleigh recovering from the flu as I have recently learned (after writing the flu stuff) that during the filming of "You May Now Kill the Bride" the entire cast was actually Flu Central and the scene with the wedding veil was being filmed while Emily was smack in the middle of her case, her fever being 102. She talked about it on the Today show. From my own personal knowledge and experience of being that sick, as long as you take something to keep the fever at a minimum, you really don't feel all that bad and can keep going if you need to. You can find the clip on YouTube. **_

_**Business as Usual**_

Eric glanced over at Calleigh, noting for the umpteenth time that day how pale she still looked. It didn't help that she chose to wear white which only seemed to emphasize her lingering pallor from her near two week long illness. He had kept a careful watch on her all day; her first back at work and was finally satisfied that she was truly well again.

They walked together in the park/crime scene discussing how the bride was killed instead of the actual intended victim. They had decided on a recreation of the moment and when Calleigh put that veil on her head.....and dressed in white, Eric couldn't help his heart skipping a beat or two. He had to force himself to concentrate madly to keep his growing fantasy from consuming him. He was secretly glad that when they were finished and returning to the Lab that Calleigh had offered to drive.

Eric settled into the comfortable passenger seat as Calleigh pulled away from the curb.

She eyed him. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Because, you seem pretty distracted and a little out of it. You didn't reinfect yourself with the flu, did you?" Calleigh asked, concerned that he was coming down ill again. She reached over and stroked his cheek, checking for a fever.

The fantasy was nudging him again, especially with her soft hand stroking his cheek, and he wanted nothing better than to give in and let it have his way with his imagination. If he didn't, it would continue to distract him for the rest of his day and the investigation they were currently on needed his full attention. He decided that a little white lie would be alright. "No, Cal, really, I'm fine. I got to sleep really late last night. I got caught up in the "Band of Brothers" marathon the History Channel ran last night. I kind of forgot about the time."

She smiled, bringing a little sparkle to her eyes. "Is that all? Well, with this traffic it's going to be a good half an hour before we get back, so why don't you take a nap?"

He smiled back at her. "You're the best."

Her smile widened. "I know."

Eric leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes, letting the fantasy unfold before him.

_He stood on the beach, the sun just starting to set. He fidgeted in his tuxedo and waited nervously for Calleigh to come out of the changing hut and come down the aisle to him. He looked around at their friends and family that had gathered for the occasion. _

"_You're a lucky man, Eric," Horatio said from beside him; his Best Man. "Calleigh's a very special woman."_

"_Yeah, I think so to, H," Eric replied as the hut door opened and the Maids of Honor stepped out, followed by her Matron of Honor and then Kenwall Duquesne held his arm out to the woman inside._

_Calleigh took his arm and Eric felt his breath catch in his throat. She was always beautiful to him, no matter what. But nothing had prepared him to see her as she was just then. She was stunning, breathtaking, an angelic vision in white. Her dress was silk with white lace, pearls and crystals set in, catching the light of the setting sun, flashing with each breath, each motion. It was high necked, which if it wasn't for the fact that the entire upper portion of the dress being netting and lace, would have probably been suffocating in the Miami heat. The bodice clung snugly to her slender frame, accentuating her trim and fit, yet entirely feminine figure. The skirt was full and billowed around her legs, held out by layers of net petticoats. On her head she wore a sheer silk veil with beautiful handmade lace with real Swarovski crystals dotting it. She carried a bouquet of white roses, lily of the valley and baby's breath. Natalia and Maxine preceded her, dressed in lace covered burgundy silk, their dresses echoing hers. Finally Alexx stepped ahead of her; her Matron of Honor. They were like a beautiful, delicate frame for his chosen love; his bride._

"_Wow," Ryan breathed next to Horatio. "Delko, right now I wish I was you. I've never seen her look so ….so.....wow."_

_Eric barely heard him; barely heard the ceremony. He couldn't take his eyes off Calleigh. She was a vision and as they finished pledging their life-long love for each other all he could think of was that he was the luckiest man on the planet, no, in all of civilization, to be able to spend the rest of his life with her. Then the moment came when they were allowed to kiss. He lifted her veil-_

"Eric, we're back. Come on, time to get up," Calleigh said, gently shaking him. His eyes were closed and he was smiling, had been for a while now. Whatever he had been dreaming, it was something good. She was glad because he had had a hard year with plenty of nightmares both waking and sleeping and a pleasant dream was more than deserved. She again stroked his cheek with a gentle hand. "Hey."

Disappointment surged through him at being unable to finish his fantasy. It had been so good. He ached to make it a reality. Desperately shoving the disappointment aside and keeping it out of his eyes, he opened them and looked over at her, his cheek burning from her delicate touch. "Thanks."

"Good dreams?" she asked with a soft smile full of her affection for him. Again, she realized that she loved him with everything in her.....but....but....but what? What was keeping her from granting herself permission to make the next move? She knew he loved her. She knew it from the deferential way he always treated her and the tenderness he showed when he knew that she needed it. She knew it by the gentle and tender way he cared for her when she had the flu so badly that if it had worsened one iota, she'd have to have been hospitalized. He had helped her with nearly everything. He fed her when she couldn't do it for herself. He'd bathed her face and limbs with cool water while her fever raged. He'd read to her to keep her amused and he was always the gentleman. He was one of the finest and most honorable men she had ever known, his youthful and mistake-laden past aside. He'd learned and matured into someone that held a powerful attraction that she was powerless to resist. But, yet, something kept her from being able to act on that attraction.

Eric's voice drifted into her consciousness, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Hey, you coming?"

"Yeah."

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Calleigh stepped into the Reception area to retrieve her messages only to catch a sight that made her heart skip a beat or five. She felt warmth rush through her. Eric was with a woman that could only be his older sister, Isabella. She had to be because just a couple of days ago he told her that Isa had had her baby. The small blanketed bundle must be his new niece, Arabella.

"Hey," she said, stepping up to them. "I'm Calleigh."

Isabella looked up at her and smiled brightly. "Nice to put a face to a name. Eric, you never told us how beautiful she is. My baby brother, a CSI, always leaving details out."

"Isa, I told you about her," Eric whispered, cuddling his newest niece close. He bent his head and kissed her on the soft tuft of dark hair.

"Rikky, you told me that she was brilliant and amazing with ballistics and an incredible CSI. You did not tell me that she WASN'T 300 pounds and every inch a science nerd with bad skin and greasy hair. In fact, you never described her to me at all," Isa admonished. "Doofus, she's gorgeous and you never told me."

Calleigh felt herself blush at hearing the compliments that Eric thought more important than just physical appearance. She wasn't stupid. Calleigh knew that she was a beautiful woman that had been blessed by being in the deep end of the gene pool. Yes, she worked a bit to keep her figure and she prided herself on her good personal habits. But to actually hear the compliment from a woman that she didn't know and that had every reason not to like her, being one of Eric's two remaining and highly protective elder sisters, made her flush in pleasure. "Thank you. Is that Arabella?"

Isabella smiled at the clearly embarrassed woman. "Yeah. Eric let her see."

Eric tilted his arms until Calleigh could see the baby. She was beautiful. She had warm, dusky toned skin with a thick tuft of silky dark hair and long, thick eyelashes that top fashion models would kill for. Arabella had a slight, healthily pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Oh, she's so perfect, so beautiful. She's like a porcelain doll," Calleigh breathed softly. She looked at Eric's adoring expression. "I see she has her Uncle Eric wrapped around her little finger already."

Isa grinned. "And to think that they just met today."

"What?" Calleigh asked.

"I had her last week. Eric was still taking care of you while you were sick. He didn't want to accidentally bring over any flu germs so he stayed away while he could possibly get us all sick. Today is the first day he's seen her," Isa said.

Guilt slammed into Calleigh. She and her illness had kept him from something so important in his family. "I'm so sorry. I wish I had known. I just found out a couple of days ago. I never meant-"

"Don't worry about it. If he hadn't stayed away, I wouldn't have gotten to meet you," Isa said, giving Calleigh arm a little squeeze. "Do you want to hold her?"

Calleigh was taken aback. "I, uhm, I, well, uhm...."

"Really, she won't break. You can hold her," Isa said, taking Arabella from Eric and holding her so that Calleigh could take her.

Calleigh held out her arms and the soft, warm weight of the baby was placed there. She carefully adjusted her hold until they were both comfortable. Arabella squirmed a little, getting used to the new hold and smell of the new person before she drifted back off, apparently satisfied that she was safe and cared for. Calleigh found herself unconsciously rocking back and forth to soothe the newborn, the soft, fresh, baby smell drifting up to her, tugging at something that she was unaware even existed inside her. "She's incredible."

"Yeah, I think so, too," Eric said softly, his eyes moist at seeing this new side of Calleigh. She was showing so openly such softness that he could easily see her being a mother and holding her own, no, their own newborn in her arms. Oh, another fantasy to add to the growing library. He had never seen her with a child before, much less a newborn. It was a sight he could easily get used to. The tenderness on her features made him ache to see more of it more often.

Calleigh couldn't help herself; she dipped her face down to the baby's head and kissed the angelically soft hair. Suddenly, an overwhelmingly deep ache began in her to hold a child so much like this one, but with the intertwined DNA of a Delko and a Duquesne. Tears stung in her eyes at the intense ache. She covered the moisture with another kiss to the silky head before offering her back to her mother.

"Thank you for letting me hold her. I don't mean to be rude, but I have to get back to my lab. I have evidence..." Calleigh said hurriedly before she retreated.

"She's-"

"You damn better get down to being with her before too much more time passes. Both of your hearts are breaking right now with you two not owning up to your feelings for each other. Don't try to argue, baby brother, I can see it. You saw the dreamy way her face looked when she was holding Bella. That was your baby she was dreaming about holding. Don't take too long, Eric. I already know that you love her and have for a while and I can see she loves you back," Isa said, putting her daughter back in the carrier.

"Isa, it's not that simple with Calleigh. She's been hurt badly so many times. No, before you say anything; you don't get it. It's beyond anything that you've ever had to deal with. One boyfriend committed suicide in front of her; right in front of her. She saw him pull the trigger and blow his brains out. She had terrible nightmares for months after that. I can't tell you how many evenings I faked falling asleep at her place so that I could stay over and take care of her when the inevitable nightmare happened and she woke screaming and crying hysterically until she was held and comforted. I have to go slow and be careful. Her heart and feelings are fragile. I know that she still has the occasional nightmare about Hagen. One guy that she was seriously interested in and everyone thought that he had it bad for her turned out to be a jerk, but not on purpose. He got engaged to someone who tried to hurt the Lab, hurt us all. And he really was interested in Calleigh, but Hagen made him think that they were back together and it was serious. Calleigh was furious and deeply hurt when she found out. When it came out I caught her crying in the locker room. I backed out and she never knew I was there, but it hurt her bad. Isa, her last boyfriend just left her to go back to a job that he considered more important than any relationship with the woman he supposedly loved. He talked family and kids with her. She's still raw and smarting about it. I can't just swoop in. I have to give her time to heal. I never want to hurt her; she means too much to me," Eric explained passionately.

"Then she's the one for you. I've never heard you speak about any woman with such consideration and tenderness, Rikky. Can you see spending the rest of your life with her with no regrets?" Isa asked, lifting the carrier onto her arm.

"I can," Eric said without a second's hesitation. "She owns my heart."

Isa kissed his cheek. "Then tell her."

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Calleigh returned to her lab and tried to focus on her work but found he mind wandering back to Eric and Arabella. He had looked so natural holding that baby. The softness of his features was forever burned into her mind. The conversation about having kids they had just a few weeks back echoed in her head and again she thought that he'd be a great dad. Would she be a great mom? She liked to think she would be but really had no idea how. It's not like her own mother had been such a sterling example of maternal perfection. She'd been more of a friend than a mother. Calleigh had no idea of what kind of parent she would be if it ever happened. The truth was, because of her own upbringing, she'd entirely dismissed the notion of parenthood, doing everything possible to make certain that no babies ever happened, ever.

Jake had talked about children once, voicing his desire to have a wife and family. It had scared the living hell out of her. That was just two months ago. Having a family with Eric didn't scare the hell out of her. In fact, it soothed her and made her feel all warm and dreamy; something that was so alien to her. She wondered what it would feel like to tell him that he was going to be a father.

_The excited knot in her stomach would not go away. She was bursting to tell him, especially after her lunch time doctor's visit confirmed what she had suspected. Calleigh was pregnant; pregnant with Eric's first child. They had been married for almost two years and talked about having a family but weren't really trying for one. True, he didn't "glove up" and she was off contraception but they saw it as an "if it was meant to be" kind of situation. Calleigh fought with the silly grin that kept trying to take over her face as she stroked her flat, barely 6 weeks pregnant abdomen._

_Oh how to tell Eric?! He'd explode in joy and she knew it. Should she plan something romantic? Should she out and tell him at the Lab in a very creative way?She had no idea. Eventually she persuaded him to take a walk on the very beach where they married. As the sun was setting behind the skyline of Miami she told him. He had held her so tightly and covered her in kisses as he wept in joy._

_The pregnancy was ideal and she had glowed the entire time, enjoying robust good health. The nursery went in and their friends shared in the entire wonderful experience. Suddenly the day was upon them and she went into labor. In Calleigh's imagination, labor pains didn't exist; or perhaps it was imagining the look on Eric's face as his firstborn daughter came into the world with a healthy cry of sound lungs and good health. She imagined him holding little.....Anna for the first time and the softness in his face, the tears of joy in his eyes. Holding their minutes old daughter in his arms, he leaned down to kiss her-_

"Calleigh, we're ready to test our theory about the remote trigger," Horatio said, poking his head into her lab. She looked far away from anything around her. "Calleigh?"

"Oh, sorry, Horatio. I was thinking," Calleigh apologized, her cheeks coloring. "I guess I was lost in thought. Let's go get this guy."


	45. Chapter 45

_**A/N: First of all, thanks for all the reviews. When I get a little lazy about writing, I go back and read them and I get all ramped up to write again. This chapter is rather Calleigh-centric just because all the non case stuff happens to her. Bear with me while I work on All In. There may be a long pause while I write or, if I can, I'll post it in chapters. I have to see what I'll come up with. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Solve a Crime With Calleigh**_

The day started out bad and just got worse as it went on. If there was ever a day that Calleigh would want a "do over", it was that very Monday. Finding Kathleen Newberry's body had been a stroke of luck, but luck was not Calleigh's friend at the moment.

First, it was worry over Delko and his procedure list on processing a crime scene. She had no idea that he was still having those kinds of issues. Why didn't he tell her? What else wasn't he telling her about anything? Was he having trust issues still stemming from her former relationship with Jake? She had come to regard the detective out of her life since she hadn't seen or heard from him in months. She was over the pain already. If he never showed his face in Miami again, she wouldn't miss him.

But she missed Eric so very badly and he was right there in the lab every day. She had seriously thought that they had become closer when they had both been sick. Maybe she was wrong. He didn't tell her that he was having troubles. She sighed and rose from the bench in the locker room. She opened her locker and took out a small notebook and pen, writing a short note to Eric asking to talk to him that evening.

Sighing, she grabbed her camera and went to Layout to download her crime scene photos. She settled and opened her laptop just as Ryan entered, announcing that he was going to go to the garage and look at the recovered car. Things were beginning to look up until she plugged her camera in and tried to download the photos from her memory card. There was nothing there. A feeling of horror overtook her. In her more vivid career related nightmares, things like this happened. No, she was never shot or attacked, but evidence that she alone handled went missing or was compromised or.....this. The horror just grew as Ryan asked if she had remembered to take the lens cap off and the exposures all were black, save for the last one.

"Better luck next time." it read. It seemed as if it weren't for the lousy luck she was currently experiencing, she'd have no luck at all. Trying to beat down the overwhelmingly negative feelings, she offered to accompany Ryan to the garage to recreate the state of the car at the crime scene. Calleigh knew she had an almost photographic memory when it came to crime scenes and Ryan knew it too. Together they set the car back to it's position at the scene and carefully went over it. It was Ryan and not Calleigh who discovered the spear point that had broken off in the lock.

With that, they went in search of the two college boys, Bart and Duncan, that had found the car and the body by fishing with TNT. Sure enough, the spear point belonged to one of them and when they visited the dorm, there were a million big ones drying on a clothes line. Not only were the boys taken into custody, but their things confiscated to see if any more of Kathleen Newberry's things had found a new home. By the time she and Ryan had returned to the Lab, she had begun to feel better about what had been happening.

Calleigh closed her locker door and left, heading to Layout to help Ryan go through all the confiscated materials when she ran into Eric.

"Hey, I've been looking for you," he said, lightly catching her arm. "I heard about the crime scene pictures and the threat. Are you okay?"

She wanted to bask in his concern but she was still feeling a bit hurt by knowing that he didn't feel comfortable in confiding in her. "I'm fine; thank you," she said coolly.

His grip tightened slightly. "What's wrong?"

She pulled herself from his gentle grasp. "Nothing. I have evidence to go through. I'll talk to you later."

Eric made no move to reach for her again. He was genuinely confused about her behavior. She had been so normal, if a little nervous at the proximity of the onlookers at the crime scene. Now she was cold toward him. Did he embarrass her by mentioning the pictures? He knew how highly she prided herself on her attention to detail and professionalism. She had to be mortified that someone was able to mess with her equipment and she never saw them. He shrugged and figured he'd ask her about it that evening when they talked like she said she wanted to do. Eric put his hand in his pocket and fingered her note, wondering just what she wanted to talk about as he continued on his way to Trace.

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Ryan's voice was sharp, full of quiet alarm. "Calleigh, check your email."

Without a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her PDA and clicked over to her email, finding a link to a website. While she tried to laugh it off, a deep sense of uneasiness began to creep in. "Solve a Crime With Calleigh. What is this?"

"I don't know but this link has been sent to everyone in the Lab's email."Ryan said, deeply concerned. The more he scanned the site, the more concerned he became.

Still, she tried to laugh it off. "Is this some sort of a joke?"

He realized that her tiny PDA screen didn't show the details anywhere as clearly as his laptop screen. Feelings of protectiveness began to grow in his chest. "I don't think anyone's laughing. Come here."

Putting down her device, she rounded the table to stand beside Ryan.

He was getting angry now. Someone was messing with a good friend of his. He sighed, trying to keep the anger out of his voice."Solve a crime with Calleigh, or not. Do you want to see how one of Miami's top CSI's really solves her cases? Keep checking back and see the latest bungle Calleigh Duquesne tries to cover up "

Calleigh didn't know whether to be embarrassed, upset, angry or downright frightened. Someone had gotten so close to her to switch out her memory card and now this. "Will you play the video?"

"Sure," Ryan said reluctantly. He knew how this had to be making Calleigh feel and he didn't want to torture her further. He hit the arrow and the video began to play. She appeared to be holding up a page from one of their Lab notepads and reading off of it. He glanced at her to see the emotions cascade through her eyes. He turned his attention back to the screen. "That looks like Delko's handwriting; that's weird. The video makes it look like you need help remembering how to process a crime scene."

She flicked her eyes up to meet his and he saw, just briefly, how this upset her. "Let's just move on from it, okay. That video looks like it was taken by somebody in the crowd. Wait a minute; there's a comment section."

Ryan clicked on it, bringing it up. What he read there disgusted him. People didn't even know her and how she was a part of keeping Miami safe and yet they could leave such rude commentary. He hated that she was reading it. Sure she yelled at him from time to time, but he knew he had her unwavering friendship and loyalty and that meant something to him. Again, a fierce protectiveness burned in his chest. Nobody messed with the people he cared about. "There are some pretty creepy things are already being posted about you."

Calleigh's eyes flicked to the icon belonging to the first poster. It looked achingly familiar. She pointed at the screen. "Wait; look at that picture. That angle could not be taken from the crowd. That's from my camera. So whoever swapped the memory card is not trying to sabotage the case; they're messing with me."

Now Ryan was hopping mad. They needed to get to the bottom of it, not only for Calleigh's reputation, but because it involved evidence in the case. His mind began whirling. "Alright, let's just narrow it down. It clearly can't be Bart and Duncan because you can't send an email from Booking. What I can do is I can take the email and trace it back to a website."

It was wonderful that Ryan was in her corner and she thanked any god that he had her back but she was angry, upset and embarrassed and, true to form, she just wanted to not think about it until she could compartmentalize it for later scrutiny. "No, no, you know what, let's just leave it alone because I don't want these pranks to mess up the case."

He hated what he had to say because he knew that it had to compound whatever she was feeling and he did want to do that to her. "Calleigh, I'm sorry, but the memory card says different. Evidence has been compromised here so we need to resolve this if we're going to protect the investigation."

_Dammit!_ Her emotions had gotten the better of her and she overlooked the connection with the swapped memory card. Ryan was right. Her feelings needed to be put firmly aside for the good of the investigation. When did he become the rational one? "Okay, but let's just go back to the SunPass for a minute," she asked, needing a minute to regroup. "Please."

He was reluctant, but he could see her teetering on the edge of something. Her head had to be reeling, so he relented and gave her the needed time to get things under control. "Okay."

She was eternally grateful as it gave her time to calm down. If Ryan had kept probing while she was still there, she didn't think she'd be able to handle it. She had already made one critical error in letting her emotions run the show for a brief time; she didn't want it to happen again.

The good thing was that they tracked the SunPass to a semi and she got to leave and tell Tripp and let Ryan dig deeper into the website without her there. Once she finished with Frank, Calleigh took her lunch and went up on the roof, not her favorite place, but at least a private one. Knowing the entire Lab had that email and could read that website did nothing to quell her fears. She was being watched and watched carefully by somebody who almost knew her every move. She was being stalked and that frightened her. She wanted to scream, to cry, to throw things....to shoot something; anything to kill the vulnerable feeling that she was experiencing. She hated feeling vulnerable and scared. She hated being so out of control. In an effort to control her racing heart and surging emotions, she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. When she finally felt calm enough to face everyone in the Lab, she rose and went inside to blow off a couple dozen rounds to finish the job of centering herself.

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Eric logged into his email and found the link. Thinking that it was a joke email, he clicked the link and the Solve a Crime With Calleigh website popped up, stunning him; rendering him speechless. Seemingly of it's own accord, his hand began to scroll through the site, venom dripping from every page. It was like watching a train wreck. Too horrible to look, yet you can't look away. He knew that Calleigh had to know about this already since it was on the internal email system, which is why he initially thought it to be a joke. Anybody who knew Calleigh would think it to be a joke. She was one of the top ballistics experts in the country and one of the top CSI's in the Southern portion of the United States. She had published papers that won her several coveted speaking engagements at Forensics conventions and even guest lectured at the Police Academy. No, no one that knew her would believe what was being said on the website.

Eric hit the comments page and was revolted by what he saw.

"This b***h couldn't find her way out of a paper bag." Rich H.

"Is this what my taxpayer money is going for? A blonde bimbo that can't do her job? Go back to the beach where you belong." Alan P.

"The dumb blonde stereotype just proves true here." Gabe A.

But the last one hurt the most: "Looking like that, she'd be a better service to mankind if she just laid down in the middle of Collins and let whoever wanted to have a good f-"

Eric clicked it shut and put his head in his hands. All he could think of was how Calleigh must be feeling at the moment. He had prayed that she hadn't read any of the commentary but he knew her curiosity would have gotten the better of her and she'd read it all. At that moment, he was more than glad that Calleigh was such a Steel Magnolia and would be able to hold her head high and finish her job. He was more glad than ever that they were going to talk that evening. She was going to need someone to talk it out with and he wanted to be that someone for her. It didn't matter how coldly she treated him a few hours ago. He could care less. Eric knew that she was hurting but wouldn't say anything about it at work.

Suddenly he remembered that Wolfe was a whiz kid on the computer. He got up and went looking for him to see if Ryan could find out who posted the venomous site.. He found Ryan in Layout, growling at his computer.

"Come on, dammit! Let me see."

"Talking to your computer, Ryan?" Eric asked, unable to help himself despite the worry and anger that warred inside him.

"Yeah, it's not giving me what I want. I need something with a whole lot more juice," Ryan said, glancing up at Eric. "You've seen it, then."

"If you meant that trashy website; yeah, I've seen it," Eric growled.

Ryan nodded. "That's what I'm working on tracing but this thing isn't good for that. I'm going to the AV lab and use the big boy to figure out what idiot posted this site and then I'm going to find them and kill them."

"Not if I get there first," Eric replied, following Ryan out into the hall. "Do you have any idea if Calleigh's seen it yet?"

"Oh, she's seen it, alright and she's plenty upset about it. She's about as close to freaking out as I have ever seen her," Ryan replied, pulling the site up and beginning to fiddle with the IP address.

Eric felt his chest loosen somewhat. At least Ryan was working on it. "You know where Cal is?"

Ryan stopped what he was doing and turned to face Eric."Last time I heard, she was on the firing range and from the sound of it, I wouldn't bug her just yet. We were in Layout when she found out. This shook her up pretty badly and she's going to need a little time to cool down."

"Yeah, but I'm just......I want to do something."

Ryan gave him a cocky grin. "Then get out of here and let me get to work. I tell you what, Eric, you can throw the first punch."

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The sweetest words she had heard all day had been "Calleigh, I know who's messing with you." The name had come as a surprise and actually blind-sided her completely. She knew that he had to be sore at her for getting him fired, but it was fraud. He was just lucky that she chose not to press charges because if she had, he'd be in jail, not job hunting.

Dan had always been a good guy. He was a little immature and goofy, but she had genuinely liked him and thought that they were friends, or at least that they had a good working relationship. They had had nothing but positive interactions with him from day one.

She had decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and talk to him, try to get him to see what he was doing was not reasonable and it was not only hurting her but the department as well. He hadn't wanted to listen to reason, even though she played on their friendship. By the time that she left his place, she knew that she had done everything she could have to try and persuade him to give it up and she knew that she had failed and that their friendship had been shattered. She mourned it's death as she drove back to the Lab.

Calleigh stepped out of the elevator to a bustle of activity and hushed tones. Stepping close to a small group of techs and trailing in their wake, Calleigh heard what they were saying. Initially she had feared that the talk of the Lab would have been about the website, but to her initial relief and then growing discomfort, it wasn't. Horatio was being extradited to Brazil. Somehow, the whole Riaz business had been brought up and into official channels. She saw Natalia in DNA and stepped inside.

"Nat, what's going on? I just overheard someone saying that Horatio is being extradited to Brazil," she said in a rush.

Natalia looked up at her friend who had seemed to visibly be depleted with everything that had already happened. "Yeah, somehow the Brazilian authorities found out about Horatio's involvement in Riaz's death and they want to question him about it. I guess the Lab is back in your hands until he is able to clear things up and get back here."

Calleigh shook her head. "No, not with that damn website up. The Chief won't let me do it and I know it. I'm too much of a liability right now. In fact-"

Calleigh broke off as her cell rang. "Duquesne.....right, I'm on it. That was Dispatch. Something just came to light in the Newberry case. I'm going to check it out."

"Good luck and be careful."

After assuring Horatio that they still had his back no matter where he was or what happened, she got in her Hummer and drove toward where her evidence lay. Suddenly, in front of her, right in the middle of the street, lay a young man, apparently unconscious. Perhaps he was a victim of a hit and run. She slowed her vehicle to a halt and got out to check for a pulse. Before she could get to him, her mouth was covered by a wet rag and she breathed in something sickly sweet. She fought with her unseen assailant, but the substance on the rag made her head swim. Her world went black.

If there was ever a day that Calleigh would want a "do over", it was that very Monday.


	46. Chapter 46

_**A/N: After thinking about how to present this is the most enjoyable way, I've decided that it needs to be in multiple chapters to do it justice. I know this is one of all of our all time favorite episodes, so I want to attempt to do it as much justice as possible. I hope I can.**_

_**All In-Panic**_

Eric felt the panic begin low in his stomach as he couldn't raise Calleigh on her cell. The panic grew stronger when the GPS on her Hummer couldn't be tracked. She was either in a dead area or something was horribly wrong.

He turned to Natalia. "He can't have sent her out on a fake call. She just had her number changed."

Natalia turned back to him, leveling anxious deep brown eyes on him. "yes he could have. He posted her new number."

Panic exploded into white hot rage and he tore from the lab intent on ….what he wasn't sure, but he wanted to see Cooper. He wanted to beat the living hell out of him. In a blindness born from anger and fear he drove at a breakneck speed to Cooper's apartment, the lights and siren the only thing keeping him from getting into an accident. Calleigh was in serious trouble. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach and he as nearly sick from it. It didn't matter to him that she was one of the most intelligent and capable people he had ever met. She could still be fooled and she could still be overpowered. She was only human.

Eric cut the lights and siren and screeched to a halt in front of Cooper's place. He jumped out and ran up the stairs and down the hall. He pounded on the front door for several seconds. When Dan didn't immediately let him in, Eric's patience snapped and he kicked the door in, storming in, grabbing Cooper by his shirt, knocking him on the ground. It was all Eric could do to restrain his temper.

"Where is she? What are you doing, Cooper?" Eric demanded.

Cooper fell backwards, landing hard on the steps in his living room. He had never seen the big Cuban this angry before, not even when Dan had used Speed's old credit card. Eric had always been a buddy; someone to hang out with after work. They had gone clubbing and to watch beach volleyball tournaments. The man that had him just then was someone that he didn't know. He'd never seen Eric so intense before. "I don't know."

Eric shook him. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I was just having a little fun, man, alright? Little Miss Perfect needed to be taken down a notch or two," Dan defended, still afraid of Eric. "So I videotaped her; so what?"

"Videotaping....and you been harassing her on the website and now she's missing," Eric said, desperately trying to get it through Cooper's stupid skull that he directly, through that website, put Calleigh straight into harm's way. He might have well held a gun to her head and played Russian Roulette.

"Well, Calleigh's a big girl; she can take care of herself," Cooper said, not really believing that anything bad could really happen to Calleigh. She was so strong and sure; so capable. She never got into trouble and never made mistakes. Nothing bad ever happened to her. She'd be fine. Delko was overreacting.

"She can take care of herself. You posted her new number on the website!" Eric exploded, shaking his former friend again.

"It's not against the law," Dan defended.

Eric couldn't believe it. Didn't Cooper get it? He could have gotten her injured or raped or even killed by his actions. It didn't matter that Calleigh was "a big girl" and "could take care of herself". He had to make him understand that while what Coop was doing wasn't illegal it was just malicious and wrong and dangerous."Yeah? What if some felon....what if some felon called her out to a location? Did you think about that?"

Honestly, Dan hadn't and it showed on his face. He had only meant to cause Calleigh some embarrassment and a little trouble. He hadn't wanted to get her hurt. He was only having a little fun.

Eric saw that he had gotten through, but too late. Calleigh was in some sort of danger and it was Cooper's fault. Eric let him go, shoving him against the floor. "Yeah, that's what I thought. If something happens to her, Cooper, I'm going to come back here and kill you."

Dan Cooper watched as Eric stormed from the apartment, the horror of what he unintentionally did to someone that he had always liked, always regarded as his friend dawning on him. He stood on shaky legs and closed his apartment door as best as he could and went back to his computer, beginning to really read what feedback people had and the vicious and venomous things they had to say about Calleigh. He was disgusted with them, the website and himself. He hadn't meant for any of it to happen. He just wanted a little revenge; poke a little fun. He had only meant it to be seen by the rest of the Lab and cause her embarrassment. He never meant to jeopardize her life. As methodically as he put the website up, he began to take it down. It would be gone in a matter of a few hours, but the damage that it caused could be permanent.

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Frank was knocked aside as Eric stormed past him "What the hell, Delko?" he asked, rubbing his shoulder.

Eric turned, noticing the Homicide detective for the first time. "Sorry, Frank. I wasn't looking."

"Yeah, I can see that. What the hell has you all in a lather?"

Eric looked at him, disbelief in his eyes. "You don't know? You haven't seen? Don't you check your email?"

Frank frowned. "My email? I haven't been at my desk all day. What are you talking about?"

Eric's mind was still working at a furious pace. "There's a website. Cooper put it up. Come inside and I'll show you."

Frank followed him into the Lab and to the nearest computer. Eric pulled up the website and let Frank read. "This is....Does Calleigh know?"

"She knows and is pretty shaken up by it. The problem is is that he posted her cell number and she got a call out on a supposed lead for the Newberry case. Only, I don't think it was a lead because nobody can raise her on her cell and we can't find her GPS signal. Nobody has heard from her since she left and we can't find her," Eric explained.

Frank swallowed hard, concern for his friend and colleague taking root. She was one tough customer, but she wasn't invincible. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Tell me about it. I know something bad has happened. She's been gone for hours and if she were fine, she'd have checked in," Eric said, glad to share the worry with the big Texan.

Frank nodded. "So let's do something about it."

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Natalia entered the AV lab where Ryan was hard at work. "Anything?"

Ryan wiped his hand over his tired eyes. "Nothing other than Cooper took the website down. Eric must have gotten through to him."

"Is there any way that we could have saved it for evidence?" Natalia asked, wanting to put Cooper through a wall.

"Not really. I saved the URL, but with the site down, all that we can prove is that there used to be a website with that name; nothing on the contents. No judge is going to take that in as evidence," Ryan said miserably.

Natalia took in his haggard appearance and rubbed his back to try and soothe him. "Why don't you take a break and get some dinner?"

"No, no I can't; not while she's out there. She could be hurt or sick. We just don't know," Ryan said, sounding lost. "I'm not leaving, Natalia. What if something happens to her and I'm not here when-"

"That's not going to happen. Calleigh is smart and tough and would give any one of us grief for not taking care of ourselves if she were here. You know I'm right," Natalia reasoned even though she felt exactly the same way. "I'm going out to pick up dinner and bring it back. I'm getting something for you and when I get back I want you to take a little break and eat. Running yourself into the ground won't help Calleigh."

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Eric rubbed his eyes and looked at his watch. 3 a.m. Calleigh had been missing since slightly after noon and they were no closer to finding her than they were when she first disappeared. His cell rang and he hoped against hop that it was Calleigh. He looked at the caller I.D. And his heart dipped only slightly. It wasn't Calleigh, but it was Horatio.

"Yeah, H," he said, relief in his voice.

"Sorry to call so late, but I'm on my way back to Miami. It seems they only wanted to talk," Horatio said, oblivious to the situation at home. "I'll tell you about it when I land."

Eric closed his eyes and sighed, thankfulness in his heart. "H, when is it? Is it soon because we have a situation here and we really need you."

Horatio frowned, even though he knew Eric couldn't see him. He could hear the worry in the younger man's voice. "Eric, what is it?"

There was no delicate way to say it. "Calleigh's missing. She went out on a call on a lead on the Newberry case and hasn't come back. She left when you did, H. We can't raise her on her cell and can't find her Hummer. Dispatch said that the call was from a man and he had asked specifically for her. Wanda didn't think anything of it and hadn't seen the website yet so she sent Calleigh out."

Horatio sat back in his seat and thought for a moment, digesting the information. "Do we know who put the website up?"

"Dan Cooper did it and he's already taken it down. I, uhm, sort of lost my temper with him," Eric confessed. "We've been wracking our brains to try and figure out who called in and where she could be, but there's just nothing. There's no evidence to go on."

"Have you gone in a grid search to look for her Hummer yet?" Horatio asked.

Eric felt like kicking himself in the head. Why didn't he think of that? Why didn't anyone think of that. Calleigh would have. _Dammit!_ "No, we haven't. I'll get Tripp and we'll start. When do you land?"

"In three hours. Keep me posted."


	47. Chapter 47

_**All In-Fear**_

Eric paced the tarmac, impatiently waiting for Horatio's plane to taxi to a stop. It finally slowed to a stop and the steps lowered with an agonizing, snail like pace. Sunglasses coolly in place, Horatio exited and began to walk toward him. Eric set off at a brisk pace to meet his boss halfway.

"You made it," Eric said, finally feeling like he could take a deep breath.

Horatio nodded. "Yeah, but a lot of people didn't.. What's going on?"

"Calleigh was abducted while following a lead on the Newberry case. Searched for her all night. We were finally able to track her GPS but we were unable to locate her," Eric said, simultaneously bringing Horatio up to speed and laying the burden of leading the investigation at his feet.

His cell rang. "Delko. Yeah, I'm with H now.....That's Tripp. He found Calleigh's Hummer."

Horatio broke into a trot. Worry took hold of him. He couldn't lose Calleigh. "We've got to find her."

The ride was short and tense, Eric driving and Horatio staring out the window, apparently lost in thought. Whether it was about what had gone on in Brazil, or about Calleigh's abduction, he didn't know. All he knew was that he was glad his brother in law was back and taking charge of the investigation.

It was a disturbing scene. Calleigh's Hummer was abandoned, a bullet strike in the door but no bullet. Luckily, there was no sign of blood spatter so they could be reasonably certain that she hadn't been shot. They found reflective trace that Eric took a sample of for identification. There were no skid marks, no scuff marks; nothing to indicate a struggle. The men were genuinely puzzled by it all. They knew that Calleigh had been armed and would never go down with giving someone a serious fight. Even with a gun to her head, Calleigh wouldn't go willingly or give up easily. So what happened to make her not fight back. She hadn't been shot. Had she been knocked unconscious and with what? Was she injured or in pain? They had to find her.

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Pain was what she felt first as she swam up from the depths of chloroform induced unconsciousness. She had been in and out of consciousness all night. Her head ached as if she'd had it slammed in her Hummer's door a couple of hundred times. Her hands were numb from the rope tied far too tight around her wrists and her shoulders protested their position; her mouth dry, all moisture soaked up by the rag they gagged her with. The last thing she remembered was getting out of the Hummer to check on somebody lying in the middle of the road....then a brief struggle, the sick smell of chloroform and then nothing. Fear hit her hard; she was very obviously in very serious trouble.

Calleigh lay still and listened for any sounds that could tell her where she was. She kept her eyes shut as a wave of dizzying nausea swept over her as she fought the urge to vomit, a leftover from the chloroform. She took in a couple of deep breaths through her nose and the moment passed. Footsteps sounded and then the sound of something, maybe a chair, being moved. She opened her eyes and blinked several times to clear her blurred vision. Her head pounded a little harder. Before her sat a man in dark clothing. In front of him lay a body, a dead body. Yeah, she was in big trouble, alright.

Another man, an African-American wearing a white track suit entered. He was ordered to get her up. He knelt next to her, grabbing her by the arm and removing the gag.

"What do you want?" she asked, taking the direct approach, letting her hair fall forward and curtain her face, giving her eyes a chance to adjust and the incessant pounding to recede into the background.

The man on the chair said, "We want to Solve a Crime with Calleigh."

_I'm going to kill Dan Cooper if I get out of this. Not only am I going to kill him, but I'll have Alexx resuscitate him and then I'm pressing charges and then I'm going to kill him again. _She listened as the man she would come to know as Seth explained about how they shot their poker buddy, Robert. She eyed Seth closely, making note of his posture and ease of body language. He was obviously in charge. Everything about him said just that.

Tommy, the guy in the track suit, had evidently come across Cooper's web revenge and that had spurred them into tracking and abducting her. They wanted her to cover up Robert's murder. Had she not been so scared, she would have rolled her eyes. and laughed at the absurdity of it. Tommy shook her hard, causing her head to bounce against the wall. He was just as scared as she was. She could use that to her advantage if she played it right.

Acting very timid and every inch the science geek, she let her voice be weak and frightened as she begged them to give her a minute to think. She began to tell them what they needed to cover up the crime, even to informing them that they had to get the bullet out of the body. The thought of actually cutting into someone made her stomach flip just a little, making her appreciate Alexx all the more. Tommy untied her and she was forced to crawl to the victim on nearly numbed legs. Pretending that touching the cool flesh of the victim was something that she was terrified to do, she probed gently, finding the bullet to be near the surface. She let out a sigh of relief and rose.

Seth had the gun up and ready. "Stop! Where do you think you're going?"

"To get something to get the bullet out with," she stated, taking time to notice all the details of the room she was in. There was a poker table to her right with plenty of things that she could easily use as a weapon if she had to, but instead, her gaze rested on a plastic fork. She retrieved it and knelt back down next to Robert, noticing for the first time the faint beginning smells of decomposition. Saying a silent prayer and begging the victim's spirit to forgive her for what she was about to do, she located the bullet and dug at it with the handle of the fork, eventually easing the blood slimed projectile out of the body. She held it away from her as if it frightened her. Let them think she was timid and easily intimidated. She could only use it to her advantage if the opportunity arose.

"Get rid of that," she said with a tremble to her voice.

Tommy took it without question, assuring Seth that he could get the next bullet out if he had to. Seth raised the gun, pointing it at Calleigh's head. She had to think fast.

"I wouldn't do that," she said strongly.

"Why is that?"

"Because that bullet smells like garlic," she told them, buying herself more time. She gave them a short list of things she'd really need to clean up the crime scene, but Seth seemed to be bent on killing her anyway.

Then Tommy spoke up. "I think that we should see what she can do."

Calleigh breathed a small sigh of relief when Seth sent him to get the supplies she asked for. What she didn't like was him suggesting that they spend the time waiting for Tommy to return getting to know each other. She knew the tone and she knew she'd be alone with him a good hour or so. He looked familiar to her, but she couldn't figure out why.

"I'd smoke that cigar," she said calmly, trying not to betray how hard her heart was beating in her chest. If he was going to try and rape her, this would be the time he'd do it.

He pulled his chair closer to her. "I was planning to afterwards," he said, confirming her suspicions. He stood and got the cigar and a lighter. "Well, if that's what turns you on."

He was going to have to knock her out if he wanted to touch her like that. She would never willing participate. She fought a wave of revulsion. "The smell of the cigar will mask the smell of the decomp, unless, of course, if you want your neighbors calling the cops down here."

"You're not as stupid as you look," he said almost appreciatively.

_I have a degree in physics, you moron, and make my living solving puzzles. Of course I'm not as stupid as you are. I'm not the one that's going to be going to prison when the team catches you. _For the first time since coming to consciousness, she leveled her gaze directly at him, letting him see just what he had on his hands.

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Natalia left Ryan, feeling somewhat relieved, but only somewhat. They now knew that Calleigh had been chloroformed and not beaten into unconsciousness. That was the good news. The bad news was that they still had no leads on where she was. The very fact that her abduction eerily mirrored Kathleen Newberry's did nothing to untie the knot of fear in her stomach. As she passed the print lab, she glanced in and saw Eric leaning heavily on the table, his head hanging. She had come to very strongly suspect that he had deep feelings for Calleigh. That Calleigh hadn't apparently noticed was beyond her.

Natalia entered, placing her hand on Eric's shoulder. "Hey, how are you holding up?"

Eric glanced at her. "Better now that H is back. 'Talia, whoever took Calleigh has had her for almost 24 hours already. I don't even want to think about what has already happened to her or what could be happening to her right now. She could be hurt or......dead."

"Hey, let's try to think positive; come on, please?" she coaxed, beginning to rub his shoulders. "You're exhausted, Eric. You've been up all night. Why don't you go and try to take a nap in the break room? I'll wake you when we know something."

He shook his head. "No. I can't sleep knowing that Calleigh is out there and in danger. I need to do something, anything."

Natalia smiled gently at him. His heart was right on his sleeve and her suspicions were confirmed. He was in love with Calleigh. She decided to keep the knowledge to herself. Now was not the time or the place to bring it up. "Then let's go back over what we do have. I'll help you."

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He left her alone as he smoked the cigar and Calleigh retreated away from him as far as she could, leaning against the far wall, her hands behind her back. She watched him carefully as she covertly placed a "60" in fingerprints on the wall, alerting the CSI team that it was a two man job. She knew that they'd print everything in sight, including the walls. There was no doubt in her mind that they'd track her to the warehouse, it was just a matter of when. With Horatio still in Brazil and her gone, that left the Lab in Eric's hands. Before yesterday and finding his sequencing reminder list, she'd have felt confident that things would be coming to a conclusion fairly swiftly. Now, she wasn't so sure and although it hurt to admit doubting Eric, she couldn't help but acknowledge that although he was better, he still was having difficulties. She was just hoping against hope that Eric was on a good swing while she was gone. Her safety and recovery depended on it.

Seth finished the cigar and threw the still burning end on the floor. "Pick it up."

Disgusted with herself for doing it, but knowing that now it contained Seth's saliva and DNA, Calleigh collected the end of the cigar, putting it out with her fingers and tucking it into the waistband of her trousers. She had to find a way to get it to the team. If Seth was in the system and it seemed to her more and more that he should be, they could extract his DNA and run it through CODIS. Any help she could give them she would.

She turned to find Seth alarmingly close.

"Tommy's out there running errands, I thought that me and you could waste a little time," he said.

She knew exactly what he meant. "I'd rather die than have you touch me." He must have not believed her because he reached over to cup her cheek. Like lightning her arm shot out, knocking his hand away. Enraged, he punched her in the jaw, knocking her to the floor. Her abdomen erupted in agony from where his kick landed, knocking the breath from her and violently flipping her on her back. Before she could react, he was on top of her, one hand pressing cruelly into her inflamed abdomen, the other shoving the gun in front of her face.

"Last words, let's hear them!" he growled.

She couldn't breathe with him on top of her, the pain in her midsection telling her already that there could be internal injuries, possibly a broken rib or two. "I don't think you killed the poker player," she cried as her vision swam from the pain. If he didn't stop pushing on her, she was going to pass out from the agony.

With a hard shove to her abdomen, causing another bright flare of pain, he got off of her and backed away, sitting down and just watching. Calleigh took shallow breaths and rolled onto her side and curled up, letting the pain subside to a dull throb. She closed her eyes against the tears that formed. She would not cry in front of him; she would not give him that power. Slowly she sat up, wincing as the dull throb sharpened to a bright stab. Sucking it up, she carefully made her way over to the body of the victim and spent time examining him for evidence. That's when she remembered the cigar stub in her waistband. As the door opened, revealing Tommy returning with the supplies, she took advantage of the distraction to shove the stub into the wound tract the bullet had made. It was crude, but it would work and Alexx would find it immediately.

She had made an observation earlier and was dying to find out if she was right and, she was. Robert didn't necessarily die of a gunshot wound. If he did, the bullet wouldn't have smelled like garlic. She also knew without a doubt that they weren't in the primary crime scene. If they were, then there'd be a whole lot of blood pooled around Robert's body. There was none. She risked telling them this, knowing that they'd move her to a secondary location, slimming her chances of survival. She watched Tommy as she performed her test, explaining to him what she was doing and why. Calleigh could see that he was in over his head. If she could help him, she would.

But, the question utmost in her mind was: Would the team be able to locate her in time?

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	48. Chapter 48

_**All In-Trail of Breadcrumbs**_

Horatio wanted to shout at Julia. She would give him nothing other than assurances that she thought he'd have a better chance against Brazilian drug lords that against a single man, Ron Saris. She had allowed the information to leak to the diplomatic channels, thereby having him extradited to another country all the while Saris could have taken Calleigh as a point of revenge. Or, perhaps he just wanted to make Horatio suffer and the Solve a Crime with Calleigh website just was a convenient means to an end. Making his way to his Hummer, Horatio made a decision to have Saris brought in. If he didn't do it, himself, Horatio would easily wager his years' pay that Saris knew who did. They were going to get Calleigh back and if anyone would be so foolish as to hurt her, he'd see to it, himself that that person would suffer.

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The near murderous feelings toward Dan Cooper that had formed when they discovered that he posted that website were now fading into the background as he began to look over the crime scene photos that Cooper had turned in. He took her memory card and had actually seemed remorseful and eager to help when he returned it.

Cooper's earlier rage toward Calleigh had dissipated and he now felt deep guilt over possibly getting her killed. They had been friends once; good friends and a colleague that he could rely on for her intuition and skill. How many hours over the years had they spent going over all manner of audio and video evidence logs? How could he have ever been that angry with her? How could he have not thought first before posting that stupid website? If anything horrible happened to her because of him, he'd take his punishment without fighting and never, ever forgive himself.

Eric took comfort in Natalia's calm presence next him as they reviewed the photos, noting the eerie similarities between the Newberry murder and Calleigh's abduction. Still, his frustration grew. While they finally had the photos, they did nothing to help find Calleigh.

"I won't let Calleigh end up like that other woman," he said softly and felt fear rise in his stomach yet again as an unwelcome thought came to him: _What if she already was?_

Natalia heard the urgency in Eric's voice. She felt it, too. Calleigh had been gone for over 24 hours and the frustration and worry that permeated the Lab only rose with every passing minute. They all knew that if Calleigh wasn't found in the first 48 hours of her disappearance, then it would be more than likely that they'd find her corpse. Natalia swallowed hard and tried not to think of that. It scared her too much. Suddenly, she pointed to one of the photos. "What is that? What is that line?"

Eric looked to where she was pointing. "I don't know. Let's take a closer look at it." He brought the magnification to it's maximum level before losing clarity. "It's some kind of string. That wasn't on the car when we looked at it in the garage."

"Maybe it fell off in transit," Natalia supplied helpfully. It didn't look like the string, or whatever it was, was going to lead them to Calleigh, but clues could be funny sometimes.

Eric clenched his jaw. Some days he hated the transpo guys. They were never careful with evidence unless you bubble wrapped the car, which is what they should have thought about doing."It's not like these tow truck drivers look for evidence."

Natalia could see his anger level rising and tried to head it off. If there was any doubt in her mind about his feelings for Calleigh, this short conversation confirmed that he loved her. For him, more than anything, she wanted Calleigh back and safe as soon as possible. "Hey, you gotta be fair. They're paid to tow, not solve our cases."

Eric looked at her, unable to believe that she was taking up for transpo. "All I'm saying is that if they tried a little harder, then maybe Calleigh might not be missing right now.'

"I know what you're saying. I'm saying that we can play "what if" all day. The important thing is finding her, right?" She reminded him gently. It was about finding Calleigh and not assigning blame to anyone, well, there was Cooper, but that wasn't helping them now.

His voice was soft when he spoke, realizing that she was right. It was all about getting Calleigh back safe and sound."Yeah."

He flipped out his phone. "Ryan, I need you to stop by the tow yard."

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The string that Ryan was able to recover from the tow truck that just had transported the Newberry car lead them straight back to Ron Saris, who admitted nothing, despite having a broken leather shoelace on his dove gray dock siders which matched that string perfectly. He blustered and threatened Horatio and the department, taunting cruelly; hinting at the supposed familial bliss he had found with Julia and his step-son; Horatio's son. Horatio could barely restrain himself in his anger, his voice taking on that soft deadliness that he reserved for child molesters and serial killers.

Horatio's voice dropped even softer. "Conspiracy to kidnap a law enforcement officer carries a life sentence."

Saris was genuinely puzzled. He didn't eve know which officer Horatio was badgering him about. She was one of his CSI's, that much he did know. But if she came into the room right at that very moment, and slapped him in the face, he'd still have no clue. "Why, Horatio, would I bother with a CSI? Why when I've already got what I needed? I've got Julia back."

"And we both know how that happened, don't we?" Horatio persisted. Who was Saris working with? Why couldn't he get him to drop the innocent act? Evidence in the Newberry murder pointed right at him so why would he make it worse by not telling Horatio where Calleigh was and who was his partner?

"By killing the Newberry lady. You're never going to prove that. Never," Ron said softly.

Horatio looked down at the dock sider under the glass topped table. "I just did."

That's when Saris began talking of speaking with the State's Attorney and threatening to file a suit of assault and battery against Horatio. Then he began banging his face into the table until he was certain that a large bruise would form just in time for him to show what the good Lt. Caine did to his face trying to get him to confess to not one, but two crimes.

He walked out, leaving a very angry and very frustrated Horatio staring at his retreating back.

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Eric and Ryan's processing of Calleigh's Hummer was more fruitful than either of them could have ever hoped for. They found a bullet inside her passenger side door. Thankfully, it was devoid of blood, which told them that at least that particular bullet never touched her at all. A quick search in IBIS lead them to a sad and sorry compulsive gambler who had admitted to losing the gun to some guy in an illegal and underground poker game at an old, abandoned warehouse.

Relief surged through Eric as he and Horatio sped toward the warehouse at 1429 Wemberley. With any luck, that was where Calleigh was being held and this whole nightmare would be over. He would have his precious and beloved Calleigh back.

They pulled up to the warehouse, sirens silenced a good block away. S.W.A.T. Poured in behind them in a silent wave as the two CSI's made their cautious way inside the warehouse. Casting trained glances around the large interior, they could find no evidence of a poker game. Silently in the cavernous space, they made their way to a sliding door, knocking it aside and entering, training guns and flashlights on the dim interior. There they found evidence of the poker game and a most unexpected sight; a dead body.

Horatio felt horror begin to rise as he spied a dark pant leg behind the table. Silently he prayed that it wasn't Calleigh. He had never truly healed after Speedle was killed. To lose Calleigh as well would come within a hair's breadth of destroying him.

Fighting to keep his voice calm he said, "We have a body, Eric." They crept closer to get a better look._ Please God, don't let it be-_ "It's not Calleigh."

Eric felt his knees go weak at Horatio's words. They still didn't have Calleigh safe and sound, but, as they began to process the scene, it was painfully obvious that she had been. The scene had been cleaned of all evidence that she had ever been there, a strong smell of bleach permeating the air. Not a blonde hair could be found. The dead man was immaculately cleaned of all trace, his fingernails scraped, his clothing even pulled in one direction so no one would be able to tell that he had ever been moved.

The sheer lack of physical evidence was actually evidence in itself. Who but a highly trained and well seasoned CSI could make it all disappear? Still, they tape lifted and fingerprinted everything they could as Alexx took the body back to the morgue. It was obvious that he had been shot, but other than that, nothing.

Frustrated, yet elated that they had found where Calleigh had obviously been held, Eric printed everything in sight, including the walls. Even they were too clean.....all except for one spot. There he found a lot of prints. As the powder clung to the oil residue, it quickly became obvious that there was a distinct pattern.

"60" in small, pristine prints that if Eric would lift and run them would lead him to Calleigh's own delicate hand. So she was being held by a double man team, but who were they? The only liftable prints they had were Calleigh's. But despite that, and the knowledge that she had been moved to a secondary location meant that she was at least still alive. If they had killed her, they'd have left her. She was still alive, but for how long?

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They brought her to a posh home, a far cry from the dirty warehouse that they had been in. It was light and airy and ultra modern in design. Seth shoved her inside, gun held within inches of her back as if she'd bolt the minute he lowered it.

"Now you can see our cleaning job," he said almost proudly.

Calleigh raised an eyebrow. There was clean and there was CSI clean. She began to explore the primary crime scene. To the naked eye, they did a damn good job, but she knew better. "I'll need the black light."

"For what?" Seth asked.

"To show you what you missed." She closed the paneling, placing them in shadow. She took the black light from Tommy and crouched down, suppressing a wince as the motion made her midsection flare. The pain was intense and she breathed shallowly for a few moments before she could speak. _Oh yeah, there was definitely damage done. _She waved the wand over the floor until she found what she was looking for: trace residue of blood. There was a lot of it.

"This is where Robert was shot," she told them, giving them more information about the body positioning. Seth was apparently angry because Tommy had told him that he had cleaned everything.

"You're right," Tommy said. "We just wanted to ax him where the next poker tournament was gonna be."

She glanced up at them, a sequence of events suddenly beginning to fall into place. If she wasn't in danger of being killed at any second, she'd be having a very good time. "So you guys like to gamble?"

"No,: Seth replied. "We just like the entry fee. Tonight's the big one; ten guys with a 100k buy in each."

"So you were planning a robbery and Robert, what, got in the way? Calleigh asked, intrigued.

Tommy knew that he could trust this interesting woman. She had been tough yet co-operative. She wasn't afraid to show him what she was doing and had been more patient in her explanations to him than any teacher he had ever had. He had to explain what happened. Maybe she could help them out of the mess they were in. "Look no, it wasn't like that. We thought he was our in. We used to play nickel ante games at the marina. He liked it. We axed him for the address and he, like, freaked out."

She had been right all along. Tommy was in way over his head. He wasn't innocent, but he didn't pull the trigger, either. He was going to do some time, but not nearly the amount that Seth was.

She stood and looked around the room, eyes settling on the flask on the bar. Despite the deadly situation she found herself in, she was intrigued by how Robert was poisoned. If he was poisoned before he was shot then the method of conveyance had to be there as well. "Was Robert using this flask?"

"Yeah," Tommy said.

She told them her theory and asked for more supplies. Using the utensils in the kitchen, she built an improvised fuming chamber, using the iodine from the medicine cabinet to stick to any and all prints on the flask, turning them purple.

Seth, as she could have predicted, panicked the minute he saw the smoke, but Tommy seemed genuinely interested. She carefully and patiently explained what she had done, noting the interest that they both displayed while she had built the fuming chamber. Perhaps she was showing too much to a couple of criminals, but she reasoned that the more that they understood of what she was doing, the better chance she had of Seth remaining calm and not killing her. It was possible that she'd get out with her life.

She thought that Seth was going to flip when she asked them for their prints, refusing to give her his. This confirmed for her that he was already in the system. But Tommy, he gave them to her without hesitation. As she took his prints, she managed to talk him into taking the flask to the police and turn himself in. Once he did that, she knew he'd tell them where she was and she would be as good as found. She gave him the excuse he needed to escape with the flask in his hand and once again, she was left alone with Seth.

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Alexx was genuinely puzzled by the dead man on her table. They could still find no I.D. on him. Yet, when she opened him up, his heart showed signs of him having a heart attack, which didn't make much sense to her since he had been shot. She sent samples to Trace and the results came back that he had been poisoned by arsenic.

Horatio took in the information. The guy had been poisoned and shot. Did the bullet wound bring on the heart attack or was he already having the attack when he was shot? Either way, from the way Alexx talked, the guy would have been dead either way.

Alexx held up the end of a smoked cigar. "From weird to weirder."

_Oh his brilliant Calleigh! His amazing second, leaving them that piece of evidence._ Horatio smiled slightly, pride in Calleigh's resourcefulness and intelligence burning in him. "Alexx, that is a piece of a cigar."

Alexx's puzzlement grew. Calleigh was still missing and could be hurt or dead and Horatio was smiling at a smoked end of a cigar. She knew that he knew something she didn't and she did not like not knowing. "Okay, you're saying that like it makes perfect sense."

Horatio had his little fun with his M.E. "Inside the lining of the tobacco could be DNA. I'm going to take that with me."

So that's what he was smiling about! Calleigh must have dug the bullet out and shoved the cigar butt into the would for her to find. It all did make perfect sense. They were already giant steps closer to finding Calleigh and apprehending her abductor. She knew that her baby girl was brilliant, but she never knew just how much until then. Alexx placed the butt into an evidence jar and handed it off, praying that it lead them to Calleigh.

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Natalia tapped her fingers on the table as she and Horatio waited for the DNA to be identified. When Horatio had first brought her the cigar end, she was puzzled until he reminded her that DNA might be found inside the leaves and if the owner and smoker were in the system, they had one half of Calleigh's abductors and only had to put out a BOLO on him.

When the DNA had been identified, Natalia felt fear clench hard inside her. What had he managed to do to Calleigh? "Seth McAdams; attempted rape."

"Here we go," Horatio said, his sense of urgency hitting dizzying heights. Without a wasted breath, he called Frank with McAdams' address and arrest record and sent the big, and now very worried and angry Texan toward him.

Frank returned, still worried, still angry but rather defeated. No one had seen McAdams in days. They were getting nowhere fast.

Horatio suddenly spied a very scared looking and nervous young African American man, hardly more than a boy, hovering near them. "Hang on a second. Can I help you?"

Blinking nervously and obviously very frightened, Tommy approached the two cops. The big bald guy scared him shitless, but the red-head seemed okay. "The names Tommy. I know something about a murder."

The kid looked like he wanted to jump out of his own skin so Horatio kept his voice soft. "Talk to me."

"But I, like, had nothing to do with it, though. I-I even got proof." He pulled the flask wrapped in a paper bag from his pocket and gave it to Horatio. That girl they took said that if he came there and found a man with red hair that he could trust him and things would be okay.

"Does this have something to do with the missing CSI?" Horatio asked softly. The kid seemed calmer and eager to co-operate now.

He knew he had to come clean. Tommy would never have hurt Calleigh. He just wanted to get her help in cleaning up the crime scene. But Seth, Seth could be unpredictable and dangerous. He knew that Seth had been arrested and done some time for being accused of trying to rape some girl a while back. He didn't want that to happen to that nice CSI. "Me and my friend; we took her."

He saw fire light in the man's deep blue eyes. "Where is the missing CSI right now?"

Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. Seth was going to get caught, but the CSI would be safe. This man was going to go and get her. "7501 Witlock, Robert Milland's house."

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S.W.A.T. And the CSI's converged on the ultra modern dwelling, breaking in the door and pouring inside like an army of swarming ants. After a swift, but thorough search of the premises, they found Calleigh and McAdams had gone. Where, they didn't know. What they did find, however, was a picture with the victim and the owner of the warehouse.

Bringing him in proved fruitless as he could give them no help in locating Calleigh. All he would admit to was knowing Robert from back in Vegas. The trail was going cold once again.

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The prints on the flask lead them back to Paul Evett, the sad, sorry loser that lost his gun in an underground poker game. Horatio felt a certain amount of satisfaction in dragging the guy back in. Evett poured out a sob story of always losing to Robert and how he would flaunt all the fine, expensive things that he'd bought with all his winnings; Evett's money, even his childrens' college funds. The guy even had a Hummer, remarkably similar to the ones used by the CSI's.

Desperate to get back a little of what he lost so his family wouldn't find out, he admitted to spiking the flask to take the edge off Robert's game. But Robert never took a drink. Evett was puzzled. Why was he being accused of killing the guy. That's when Horatio told him that Robert drank it after the game and that it gave him a heart attack.

Evett admitting to never losing his gun in the poker game and that he had been so angry at Robert that he went by the guy's house. He saw Calleigh's abandoned Hummer a few streets away and shot at it, only realizing his mistake when he saw the CSI emblem on the door. Well, his gambling debt was beside the point. He was going away for murder.

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Natalia had begun to process Robert Milland's home for any trace of Calleigh or McAdams. Natalia was glad to help. She'd do anything she could to get her friend back. She snapped every photo she could of every possible thing she could. She was getting frustrated. The place was pristine.

Horatio entered. "Have you made any progress, Miss Boa Vista?"

"I've had the techs scour the place and there's just nothing that says that Tommy Garver or Seth McAdams was ever here," she said with reluctance.

"What we do know is that they had Calleigh clean the place," Horatio said, looking around. She had done yet another sterling job of destroying the evidence. She did it under duress and most likely to keep herself alive. No one would ever blame her for it.

"She did such a great job of helping us I.D. These suspects, I just wish there was a way she could have told us where she went," Natalia said, frustration in every line of her body. They were so close to finding someone so very dear to her. Natalia knew what it was like to fear for your life. Her deceased ex-husband nearly beat her to death on more than one occasion. It was a terrible thing to fear for your life. Her heart was with Calleigh and had been from the minute they knew she was missing. She sent a silent prayer out that Calleigh was alive and unharmed and that they'd find her soon.

Horatio approached Natalia, taking careful note of what was on the counter. There was a baking sheet with a piece of culinary parchment paper on it and a bottle of grape juice that he knew Calleigh would have put in the refrigerator as she was cleaning the home of any trace of evidence of their existence. Could his wildly cunning ballistics expert left them another unorthodox clue? "Maybe there is."

He knew he was right when he saw the nearly obscured box of baking soda hiding behind the grape juice. She'd made invisible ink. He just knew it. It was so old and cunning to use something that every school kid knew how to do.

"Now, if I'm not mistaken, baking soda and grape juice...." Horatio said. If Calleigh wasn't in mortal danger he'd bet his last dollar she'd be having fun doing all of this. It was like an invisible trail of breadcrumbs leading them right to her. He uncapped the juice and poured it over the paper, revealing the exact thing he'd been hoping for.

"Look at that."

Natalia was impressed and relieved. "Invisible ink."

"Precisely. Descent 6 P.M." Horatio practically purred with satisfaction.

"Club Descent. Do you know it?" Natalia supplied.

This was it. This was where it was going to end and they still had time to formulate a plan. "I know it."


	49. Chapter 49

_**A/N: I need some advice here. I know with all the anticipation of Monday's episode, things are hanging in balance. So, should I show Eric and Calleigh talking it out the next day or just go on like the show has. Let's face it. Until things develop on screen with our two, nothing will happen of that nature here.**_

_**Japanese giant hornets have actually been recorded killing people by their stings. If you disturb the nest, they will continue to sting you until you die. Check Animal Planet or NatGeo for information.**_

_**All In-Resolution**_

Finally, Seth had had had enough and they left Milland's, she, once again, at gunpoint. He made her drive around aimlessly for well over an hour, possibly two until finally directing her to pull up outside a still closed Club Descent. Pulling her roughly by the arm, gun inches from her head, he dragged her to the back entrance to the club, making her demand entrance in the name of Miami PD. As the door opened, she gave a silent prayer that the team had found her clues and were on their way in, otherwise there wasn't a doubt in her mind that this nightclub was where they would find her cooling, dead body. Seth had held off killing her while she had been useful to him, but her usefulness was at an end.

Bullying aside the tall man that opened the door, they entered and Calleigh's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding in her ears. This was the end; this was where everything finished. Three men were seated at the table, holding cards.

For once, Seth's gun wasn't pointing at Calleigh. He waved it at the poker players. "Alright ladies, poker game's over. I want all your cash, now. C'mon."

What seemed to be in slow motion to Calleigh, Eric, Ryan and Frank drew their firearms, pointing them directly at Seth. She felt him move behind her, using her as a shield. He still didn't get it. He'd been caught. Suddenly, there was the sickening feeling of a gun barrel between her shoulder blades. The hammer was back, she knew it because while he held the barrel inches from her face she could see it. All it would take would be the tiniest of false moves from the team for him to pull the trigger and end her life. She silently begged them with her eyes for patience.

"You're not going to get that chance."

She could have wept at the sound of the voice. No, she had to be hearing things because that was Horatio's voice and he was on his way to Brazil on an murder indictment the last time she saw him. But, she knew Horatio's rough whiskey toned voice. How had he gotten away?

Then another sound, one she'd know anywhere; the sound of a standard issue 9 millimeter being cocked. "Now, if I were you, I'd fold. Don't you agree, Calleigh?"

Making her move and possibly ending her life, she spun with surprising agility, considering that she had had no real sleep and had nothing to eat or drink in over 24 hours, swung her arms as hard as she could, knocking the gun from Seth's hands. Searing pain flared brightly in her midsection and she did everything she could to not cry out. While Horatio and Frank grabbed Seth, she retrieved the gun, pointing it into his face. She had expected to feel satisfaction, but only felt a cold numbness creeping in.

"You messed with the wrong people," she stated, ice dripping from every word. He was lead away by a uniformed officer and Horatio. She lowered the gun, head hanging in relief. She felt Ryan take the firearm as Eric gripped her right arm firmly, yet gently. Ryan gave her left shoulder a little squeeze as she nodded to his inquiry if she was unharmed.

Suddenly, it was all too much and she put her hand up to cover her very moist and very unprofessional eyes. Eric saw all of this and his hold on her changed. He put his arms around her and embraced her, making reassuring noises that she was too far gone to hear. She felt herself be guided to one of the chairs just as the strength went out of her legs. She sat down heavily, Eric's touch still soothing her. Calleigh fought not to cry. She felt Ryan's hands on her shoulders, kneading, comforting. She sensed, rather than saw, Frank squat in front of her.

He took her hands. It killed him inside knowing that Seth McAdams could have tried to rape her. He'd already done time for just the attempt on someone else. "Calleigh, did he hurt you?"

She first shook her head and then corrected herself and nodded. Now was not the time to be tough. She had to let them know she'd been hurt. "He punched me in the face and then, when I had been knocked to the floor after the punch, he kicked me in the abdomen. It still hurts like hell."

Frank looked up at the other two men. "I'll make sure Rescue is here and checks her out. You guys stay with her."

He needn't have bothered because Ryan and Eric had no intention of letting her out of their sight for a single second. Both men had been in a state of near panic when it was discovered that she had been missing and now they were both deliriously happy that she was back with them again, safe and apparently, sound.

Eric couldn't help but notice how hard Calleigh was trembling under his hands, whether from exhaustion, adrenaline or relief, he couldn't tell. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and continued his soothing ministrations until the EM T's arrived and began their examination.

Tina Winters knelt in front of Calleigh and asked her a short series of questions before beginning a physical examination. Calleigh couldn't help but cry out as Tina's gentle hands found where she'd been kicked. Tina slid the edge of Calleigh's sweater up to reveal a very angry and very colorful bruise. That was enough for her to insist that they take Calleigh to the ER to get her injury checked out thoroughly. Calleigh didn't protest as she was assisted to the waiting ambulance.

After careful examination and several x-rays later, the doctors determined that she had, indeed, taken a bad beating, four ribs broken. They taped her ribs so that they'd be supported as she moved around. With a small supply of pain-killers forced on her, she was released to go.

Eric helped her to stand and slowly walked with her to his Hummer, guiding her inside. Spying his full water bottle, she grabbed it, downing long swallows, slaking her thirst. Eric watched her carefully. "I have another bottle if you want that one, too. He didn't let you have anything to eat or drink, did he?"

"No, and now that it's over, I'm starving," Calleigh said as she began to drink the second bottle with a great deal more restraint.

"I tell you what, Stetler can wait for a little while for your statement. I'm taking you over to Duke's for some eggs and toast. You need to be taken care of first," Eric said firmly. "Besides, it'll piss him off to have to wait."

Calleigh smiled at him and he realized just how tired she looked. "I think once you give your statement, you need to go home and get some rest."

She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes, sighing, "Yeah. That sounds great. Listen, can we get those eggs to go? As much as I love the idea of pissing Stetler off, I'm really tired and just want to go home."

Eric nodded, worried. She never let her guard down for so long. "Sure, I'll even call ahead."

Half an hour later found Calleigh in an interview room answering questions and giving her narrative around mouthfuls of bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast.

Stetler could see that she was exhausted and in pain but he had to get her statement as quickly and thoroughly as possible. 'And then McAdams made you dig the bullet out of Robert Milland?"

She nodded, swallowing what she had in her mouth. "I dug it out with the the back end of a plastic fork. The bullet smelled like garlic and I knew that Milland could have actually been poisoned. I could also tell that the warehouse wasn't the primary crime scene."

"So you gave them a grocery list of what you'd need to erase all trace of them being involved in the murder?" Stetler asked.

Calleigh gave him a hard look. "I did it to save my life, Rick. Seth McAdams had already made it clear to me that when my usefulness to him came to an end so would my life."

Stetler nodded. "I see. Then what happened?"

"Tommy left to get the supplies and Seth smoked the cigar to cover the smell of the decomp as I suggested. I knew that would be an excellent way to get his DNA to the lab when the warehouse was found. I eventually stuffed the butt into Milland's gun shot wound," She said around a mouthful of eggs. "Then when he didn't get my co-operation...."

Horatio could see that Calleigh was beginning to struggle. She was trying to find words for what she wanted to say. It must be bad, because it's something that he rarely saw her do. "Give her a minute, Rick." He sat down next to her and took her hand. "It's okay, sweetheart. Take your time."

She nodded. Her voice was very soft. "He was going to try and rape me."

"Are you sure about that, Ms. Duquesne?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure about it. I resisted and he hit me in the jaw, which knocked me to the floor. Then he kicked me in the abdomen hard enough to break four ribs and flip me on my back," Calleigh said steadily, louder.

"Horatio, can you get a few photo's of her injuries?" Stetler asked, shocked. Never in a million years would he have taken the woman in front of him as a victim of attempted rape. While he had a healthy dislike for CSI Calleigh Duquesne, she didn't deserve what happened to her. He would never have wished it on her in his wildest dreams. Instead, it only served to make him concerned over her mental and emotional health.

With Horatio's help, Calleigh managed to get her sweater and the bandage off and she leaned back against the back of the chair, breathing shallowly. Now that she was safe and in the embrace of those she loved, she was starting to feel the full extent of what happened to her. Her ribcage was a nest of angry fire ants. She closed her eyes and tried to stifle a small cry when she was asked to lift her right arm so Horatio could get all angles. Juries loved pictures.

Horatio put the camera down and helped Calleigh re wrap her ribs and gently redressed her in her sweater. Her breathing was labored and she shook slightly. He sat next to her and let her lean against him a little. "Alright, Rick, that's enough. Can't you see she's in pain and embarrassed and exhausted?"

Stetler knew that Horatio was very protective over his team, but he had never shown the fierce protectiveness over Calleigh that he was showing now. "Yes, I can and I'm sorry about that but this needs to get done before she can go home. If it could wait, I'd give her time to heal up first. I don't like seeing her like this."

"Then get it done quickly," Horatio growled.

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Statement finally given she stood, wincing. "Horatio-"

"Go home, sweetheart and take tomorrow, too," he said gently. "Get some rest and don't come back in until you're ready."

"I'll book my mandatory meeting with the union shrink on my way out. Don't worry, I'm fine," she said flashing him a tired, but genuine grin.

"I don't doubt that you are," he said as she walked away.

Calleigh was making her way to the Lab, heading toward the locker room when she heard Natalia's voice.

"Calleigh!" Natalia cried, leaving DNA, Valera trailing in her wake. They both gave her gentle hugs, already having learned about their friend's injuries. "I'm so glad you're okay. We were really worried."

Calleigh turned tired, but happy eyes up to them, grateful for having them in her life. Sudden moisture pricked her eyes. "Thanks. Thank you for helping find me."

"You left amazing clues. They lead us right to you. The invisible ink was fantastic. I would have never have thought of it. I guess I still have a lot to learn about being a CSI," Natalia said, admiration in her voice.

"Yeah and the DNA on the cigar butt? What a way to get it to us!" Valera said, giving her another gentle hug.

Calleigh smiled at them again as a wave of exhaustion swept over her. "I really want to tell you all about it, but I'm exhausted. I'll see you in a couple of days."

Natalia put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Are you going to be okay going home by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just want a hot bath and a soft bed," Calleigh replied, touched by Natalia's tender concern. She walked to the locker room and gathered her things, heading to the elevators and home. Calleigh met up with Eric by the elevators. He, too, had his things with him.

"How'd it go?" he asked casually.

"I think Rick was more pissed about me eating during the statement than anything. Horatio set him straight," Calleigh said with a wicked grin. "He was pretty human after that."

"I'll bet," he stated as they walked outside into the early evening sun. Calleigh stopped for a moment to savor the warmth on her face before heading toward the Hummers. Horatio had told her to sign one out for the night and the rest of the nights it took before the inquiries spawned by the website stopped flooding in.

"You sure you're okay?" Eric asked as they approached the bank of Hummers, remembering how hard she trembled at Club Descent.

Calleigh nodded slightly, not wanting to worry him. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Eric stuck his hands in his pockets. "What are you gonna do; are you gonna take some time off?"

"I really don't know, to be honest with you. I think I just want to go home; think about what happened," Calleigh said as they walked between the behemoth vehicles.

A look passed between them and neither knew what to make of it. Eric spoke up. "Hey, you don't have to go home alone." It wasn't plaintive, but an invitation to her to let her guard down and allow someone to be there for her to help support the weight of the world that always seemed to rest on her shoulders, though it was the weight of what she just went through that threatened to press her into the earth at that very moment.

She was sorely tempted by his offer, but she felt that she had shown enough weakness for one day. "Eric, I'm fine; I really am; I promise, but thank you." She fiddled with the Hummer's keys.

His declaration was startling in it's simplicity. She just didn't think that her ordeal would be traumatic to anyone other than herself, after all, no one but her had to live through it. "I'm not."

Calleigh found herself turning back to him, responding to his need. Silently, she urged him on.

"I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you today."

The simple admission made her realize that he was just as shaken as she was and that if either of them stood a chance of making it through, they needed to do it together. "Okay," she said softly and allowed herself to be escorted to a different Hummer. She climbed in the passenger seat, buckling herself in. She leaned over and unlocked his door, letting him in.

Eric filled her in on the rest of the Newberry case, which wasn't all that much, the CSI's finding themselves at a dead end. A semi-awkward silence fell over them.

"You said that you wanted to think about what happened today," Eric said quietly when the silence had gotten too heavy between them. "You can think out loud. I want to know what happened. I know I can read your official statement, but I'd rather know from you, unofficially."

"Eric, I don't know-"

"I do. Calleigh, I know you could have gotten off far worse than you did and that you were luckier than I think you know. McAdams was brought up on a charge of attempted rape." Eric felt his jaw clench when he thought of McAdams touching her in any way. "He didn't-"

"No," she said quickly. "I never gave him the chance. Why do you think I have broken ribs? I resisted."

"Oh. He didn't try it again, even when Tommy turned himself in?" Eric asked.

Calleigh had wondered the same thing, herself. He had tried once and overpowered her, why hadn't tried again? "I don't know why he didn't. Maybe I was still too useful to him. I'm sorry that Tommy is going to have to do time. Poor kid was in way over his head."

"Calleigh, he took you," Eric said.

"Yeah, but, Eric, when he helped Seth do that, he was already in too deep. He was scared. I'll do what I can for him at his trial. McAdams, well, I'll throw him to the wolves," Calleigh said as they pulled into her driveway. Suppressing a cry, she slid out of the Hummer and lead Eric inside.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked, her Southern hospitality rising to the surface.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Calleigh, I can make myself a t home. Don't worry about me. Do you need help with anything?"

She shook her head. Now that she was home and safe, she felt like she could sleep for weeks. She had wanted a shower, but she wanted to sleep more. "No, I'm fine. I think I'll take a little nap. Eric, you don't have to stay. You know that, right?"

"I want to. You know, in case you need anything. If I go, your car is still at the Lab and you won't have the Hummer," he reasoned. The truth was was that he didn't want her out of his sight for a single second. He had hated leaving her alone in the interview room with Stetler, but at least Horatio was there to take care of her. That's what he was doing right then; taking care of her.

She let out a small laugh. "Alright, stay then. Help yourself to whatever you want and don't let me sleep too long."

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Considering that it was nearly 9 pm. when she went to lay down, Eric never bothered to wake her and let her sleep. He stayed awake for a while longer, replaying the events of the past couple of days over and over in his mind. His fear for her safety had been overwhelming. It had been everything that he could do to keep from screaming in frustration with every roadblock they found staring at them.

But he was also proud of Calleigh. He always knew she was one tough customer and could handle anything that life threw at her, but he was simply awed at her resourcefulness and creativity. In truth, she had saved herself. She just lead them right to her. This new, greater, admiration for her just served to make him fall in love with her even more.

That's when it hit him again so hard it nearly made him vomit. They, _he_, could have lost her forever. They could have gotten to Robert Milland's only to find her lifeless, cooling body laying in a pool of her own congealing blood. No more flirting, no more easy laughter, no more burning the roofs of their mouths with molten cheese from too hot pizza, no more crime scenes and no more Calleigh. He could feel the panic rising in his chest again and he had to see her, had to look at her sleeping face and know it wasn't a dream. He had no idea that was how she had felt on the day he had been shot a little over a year ago and was the reason she had been crying and the reason she slept all that night with her head on his chest, arm slung casually around him, holding onto him.

Eric rose, and on silently stockinged feet, he padded to her bedroom door and softly opened it. She was sound asleep, curled up on her side, body pillow supporting her injured ribs. He knelt and reached out, gently smoothing back her soft hair. She was real and warm and feminine soft beneath his hand and he felt his panic melt into nothingness. She was safe.

Suddenly, she stirred and opened her eyes. No feelings of panic or fear with a masculine form kneeling at her bedside, just confusion. "Eric, what's wrong?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry if I woke you. I was just checking in on you to make sure you're okay. Go back to sleep, Querida," he whispered back, standing up.

Her eyes were already closed. "'K," she mumbled as she drifted back off.

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It was her ribcage that woke her, the fire ants were at it again and they had brought an entire colony of beehives along for the ride. Calleigh could swear that a couple of the anti-social and excruciating Japanese giant hornets came and crashed the little party. She had to get some relief. Sure she was tough, but the level of pain she was currently experiencing was akin to only the time in her senior year of college when she had broken her leg playing rugby. She had given in and taken the pain killers, then, too.

Calleigh carefully uncovered herself and pushed away her beloved body pillow that John Hagen had given her when they were still seeing each other. It was the very same day that she had been injured by the spear gun. John stopped by with an ice pack and an apology at work. She accepted the ice pack and his apology. He was only worried about her. She could understand that. While they had known each other for over a year, he didn't really know how tough she really was. Yeah, her shoulder hurt like hell and she'd even gone to Alexx and have her make sure that it was a very bad bruise and not anything more concerning. But she was fine. Really.

He brought the pillow over to her house later that evening, telling her that it might help ease her shoulder when she was laying on her side, and it had. He hadn't pushed himself on her and hadn't stayed long. She could tell that he still was worried about her, but didn't want to smother her in their new relationship. If she would have let him, he would have stayed and held her all night. After he had killed himself in her own lab, she had put it away for a long time, his memory too painful, only taking it out when her Hummer had been knocked into the canal, nearly killing her. Her whole body had been a symphony of pain that night and she had taken out the pillow and let it help soothe her pains as it softly cushioned the most tender spots, allowing her to finally fall asleep. After that, she slept with it regularly, normally after a hard day.

Sitting up, she let out a soft cry and tenderly held her broken ribs. When the bees, hornets and ants settled down some, she slowly rose and carefully made her way to the kitchen, remembering placing the container of pain medication on the table. Stopping in the living room, she looked in on Eric. He had, indeed, made himself at home, finding his own pillows and blankets for the night.

Turning, she made her way into the kitchen, guided by the light over the stove. She took out one of her pain pills and went to the sink only to see that Eric had put all her dishes on the drain board away for her. She smiled to herself at his kindness and consideration. She reached up toward the cabinet to get a glass and couldn't bite back the cry of agony that ripped from her throat. She saw stars. Stumbling backwards, she gripped her inflamed midsection, her knees buckling, tumbling her to the floor, sending a whole new fire through her ribs. Tears welled and then ran from her eyes as she curled into a ball and sobbed in miserable pain.

Calleigh's cry had startled Eric from his sleep. He shot first to her empty bedroom and then stopped. He heard heart-wrenching sobbing. Following the sound he found Calleigh in the kitchen, curled up on the floor, holding her side and crying. He sat down next to her, gently lifting her into his arms, rocking her and trying to soothe her.

"What is it, Querida? Tell me," he coaxed, placing feather light kisses in her hair.

"Hurts....it hurts...it hurts," was all she could manage.

"Your ribs? Your ribs hurt?"

"Yeah. I can't....and.....hurts. Help."

He spied the pain meds on the counter and added one and one. "You went to get some medicine and hurt yourself?"

She nodded, gasping. "Help."

Eric let her go, leaning her against the wall and got a pill and some water. He helped her take them because she was shaking so badly that he didn't want to hand her the glass. After that, he picked her up and carried her back to her bed, getting in with her and holding her. She was terrifying him. He had never seen her so bad and he had seen her pretty bad before. She was still shaking and crying and he had a feeling that it wasn't just pain.

"Talk to me, Calleigh. Talk to me."

"Hurts.....I.....was....so scared......embarrassed....took me....when I should have known.....better,"she sobbed, burying her face in his shoulder.

Eric felt his own eyes prick with tears. "I know, Querida, I know."

He held her as another incoherent torrent of tears wracked her slender, fragile frame. She was near hysteria, choking on her own tears. Eric gently rocked her, soothing her with loving words and gentle caresses, his own tears mingling and becoming one with hers, their ever first mixture of their individual DNA's. Gradually, she calmed down, the pain medication helping a great deal.

"I was so scared.....I thought he'd kill me....That I'd never.....I was going to die.....I knew it......I had to....try to be useful......Tommy knew, understood......why I sent him.....I knew the......risk, Tommy gone......he tried......I didn't let him," she sobbed brokenly.

Eric sniffled. He knew that Calleigh had nearly been raped. But it was so much worse hearing it from her. He tightened his grip on her and she let out a small cry. "I'm sorry, baby. I know you didn't let him. I know you fought with everything you had."

"He.....he still.....overpowered me....He could have....and I couldn't.......couldn't.....have stopped him...." she said and broke off again. "I was in so much pain.....It hurt so bad....I almost....passed out from it....several times."

"Nobody would have blamed you. Nobody would have thought it was your fault. Nobody would have thought less of you," Eric soothed, his own heart breaking. Gently, he cuddled her closer, feeling her trembling lessen slightly. "I wouldn't have thought less of you. We all know you and love you. Rape is never the woman's fault. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'd rather you have a couple of ribs broken and some horrible memories than having you have to live with that. Either way, I'd be here for you and so would everyone that loves you. We're all here for you now. You need to lean on us. You've had a terrifying experience. Let your loved ones help you through it. It's hard, I know, I understand. But let us all in. We won't hurt you. Calleigh, querida, everyone knows you're strong. You're amazing. Even as terrified as you had to have been, you managed to leave so many unorthodox and creative clues that lead us right to you. You are tough and resourceful and brilliant. Nothing changes that. These tears and your fear doesn't change that. The last day and a half doesn't change that. Me holding you in my arms as you have this meltdown doesn't change that. It makes you vulnerable and human and a precious life. Calleigh, we all are human and you can be that with me."

Calleigh continued to cry softly until her sobs became the occasional hiccup and then a couple of stuttered sighs, the magic of the very narcotic pain medication, Vicodin, taking it's full effect, the agony of broken bones a fuzzy memory.

Eric laid her down on her pillows, tucking her body pillow in just right so that she'd feel comfortable for the rest of the night. Needing to be near her for his own sanity, he laid down on the other side of the bed, the softness of the mattress and the fluffiness of the comforter lulling him into sleep. Calleigh would be alright, eventually. He knew that there would be more tears and more nights holding her as she cried and worked through what had happened to her. He'd be around for it. He loved her: how could he not?


	50. Chapter 50

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I was so blown away and totally inspired by Monday night's episode that I felt I wanted a little more E/C sweetness. This is just a filler chapter while I work on the rest.**_

_**Healing**_

It was the warm, filtered sunlight that finally woke her. She looked at her bedside clock and her eyes widened in surprise.11:37 a..m. How had she slept that long? Why had she slept that long? She moved to toss the covers off and her midsection gave her a sharp reminder of the last 48 hours' events. Hissing slightly, she sat up. Gingerly and ever-so-carefully, she got to her feet and moved slowly from the edge of the bed to her dresser, using it to brace her as she made her way towards the door. She felt terrible. Every muscle and bone in her body was crying out, protesting her every movement. Calleigh figured that she couldn't feel worse if she had been hit by the crosstown bus.

The door swung open. "Whoa, where do you think you're going?" Eric asked, seeing the difficulty with which she was moving. He gently picked her up.

"What are you doing? Put me down, Eric," she protested, trying to squirm, which only made her ribs flare.

"Stop wiggling and tell me where you want to go," he said, trying to get her to calm down.

She stopped moving around. "On my own two feet so I can get to the bathroom and get a shower."

"Cal, you can't even stand up straight right now, can you?"

"I'm fine."

Annoyed at her stubbornness, he put her down, only holding onto her long enough to make sure she was balanced. "Fine. Stand up straight and walk without holding onto anything."

She shot him a venomous look as she struggled to unbend her frame. Several sharp pains later and she was sweating, shaking and admitting defeat. "No."

Eric helped her back to the bed and sat her on it. "I didn't think so. Why did you have to put yourself through all that struggle instead of letting me help you?"

"I didn't think it would be that bad. I really didn't. I'm sorry, Eric. It's just-"

"It's okay,' he said softly. "If you're still wanting that shower, how about I get one of your lawn chairs and put it in the tub? That way you can sit down and take care of everything and hurt as little as possible," Eric offered.

Calleigh nodded, holding her ribcage. "Yeah, okay. It's actually brilliant. Where'd you come up with that?"

"I didn't. Remember my old college frat brother, Jeff?" Eric asked.

"The guy with the gators and Animal Planet? Yeah. He helped us find the crocodile that ate Consuela Valdez's remains," Calleigh replied, unconsciously leaning against him.

"Yeah, well I was a Sophomore playing for the "Canes and I took 90 mph shot off the bat straight into the pitchers' mound. I broke six ribs and was out the rest of the season. If it wasn't for Jeff rigging up the lawn chair in the shower, I'd have spent a good three months smelling bad," Eric said with a laugh. "I felt so stupid the first time, but it worked."

Her head had lolled lazily onto his shoulder. "If it worked for you, then it should work for me."

Eric slid his arm around her, realizing that she was leaning very heavily on him. "Are you even awake enough to shower?"

Calleigh blinked her eyes hard. "I don't know what's going on. I was awake and ready to get up and now all I want to do is go back to sleep."

"I do. You're processing. You're mind is trying to process everything that's gone on in a very short amount of time and the natural reaction is to make you sleepy. Since it's what your body wants anyway, why don't you lay back down, take another dose of your meds to keep the edge off and rest?" Eric said as he gently manipulated her back into her bed and snuggled up into her pillows. He handed her a single pill and water. He turned to go.

"Won't you stay?" she asked.

"I'll be back. H wanted an update on you once you were awake. I won't be away long," Eric said, stroking her hair. "Just close your eyes and I'll be back in no time."

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"How is she doing, Eric?" Horatio asked over the phone.

Eric could feel his brother-in-law's concern clearly. There was no question of holding back. "It was a rough night, H. At first she slept just fine but then the pain was just too much and it woke her in the worst way. She took meds, but it took her a long time to finally get some rest. She's resting comfortably now, though."

"Just physical pain, then?" Horatio asked. He was worried that Calleigh could have suffered plenty of mental and emotional torture at the hands of Seth McAdams. He was as mean as they came and he had had her a long time.

"She's struggling with what happened to her, but I think she'll be alright in a few days. I know she has a meeting with the Union shrink on Friday. That should give her time to sort through it on her own, first. I'm not gonna lie, H and say that she's all good to go because both you and I know she's not. But we both know that she will be, eventually," Eric said with wisdom earned over his long friendship with Calleigh Duquesne.

"Is she up for company?" Horatio asked, suddenly needing to see her with his own eyes and know she was safe once again. The wearied way she leaned on him the day before haunted him.

Eric glanced back at Calleigh's semi-closed door. "Maybe later today. The docs have her on Vicodin and she might be a little bit loopy on it. Life on Vicodin can be pretty surreal. I was on it when I took a baseball to my ribcage in college. It was the most unreal three weeks of my life, second only to the two weeks I spent on Flexeril after a muscle injury."

Horatio chuckled lightly. "I promise I"ll be gentle."

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"So not fair!" Calleigh cried as Eric's Bishop took her Rook. "I'm on meds!"

"And your point being...." Eric taunted.

"That I'm on meds that make my mind foggy and I can't think seven moves ahead right now like you can. You are so not a gentleman," she retorted weakly.

Eric moved a Pawn. "Yeah, and this is the only thing that's giving me a level playing field. You usually whomp my ass."

Calleigh let out an uncharacteristic giggle. "I do, don't I?"

"Yeah, you do." he moved his Knight to block her obvious next move. "This is kind of fun. I think, for once, I might actually win."

Calleigh grinned wickedly. "Only because I'm drugged."

"I'll take it," he said playfully, as the doorbell rang. "That must be H. He said he wanted to check in on you. He's worried, you know."

"Yeah, I know." she replied, looking embarrassed.

"He's very concerned about you and how you're handling it all. I would suggest that you be honest with him. He's not going to treat you any differently when you go back to work," Eric said as the bell sounded a second time. "I know that you know that."

Calleigh bowed her head. "I do. Let him in."

Eric went down the hallway and into the living room and opened the door. Horatio stood, cool and calm on the doorstep. "Hey H."

"Eric, how is she?" Horatio asked, stepping inside. He realized that it had been a long while since he had been inside Calleigh's home.

"She's better. She slept well and had a good lunch. Right now we're playing chess; come on back," Eric said, leading Horatio to Calleigh's bedroom.

Horatio stood in the doorway, taking the scene in. Calleigh was reclining in bed, propped up by pillows. She was dressed in a royal purple tank and sweat shorts. She looked markedly better than the last time he had seen her. She looked well rested and nearly recovered. He took several steps until he stood at her bed. "How are you feeling?"

She gave him a small smile. "Better. Is there anything-"

"Calleigh, don't. Let me do the leg work. You're supposed to be resting," Eric reminded her gently.

"Well, I can at least ask and then you can do all the work for me. Would you like anything, Horatio?" Calleigh asked politely.

Horatio was about to decline, but thought better of it. "If you have any of your delicious sweet tea, I wouldn't say no to a glass."

Calleigh threw Eric a saucy look. "You heard the man. Get him some tea. In fact, three glasses would be good."

"Your wish is my command," Eric said with a playful bow.

Calleigh pat the bed next to her. "Have a seat."

Horatio eyed the chess board on the nearby snack tray. "Eric said you two were playing chess. Who's winning?"

"Eric; and only because I'm on pain medication that makes my head all foggy and I can't think ahead far enough," Calleigh said with slightly dented dignity.

"He does have a bullet in his brain," Horatio reminded her.

"And your point is.....?"

"My point is....Eric told me that you had a rough night. That you woke up in a lot of pain and even after you took your medication it took you a long while to be able to get some rest," Horatio aid gently. "He wouldn't elaborate, but I know there's more to it. I know how hard it was for you when you gave your statement yesterday. Tell me what happened last night."

"It's embarrassing, really, Horatio," Calleigh fumbled as Eric entered carrying three towering glasses of sweet tea.

"Here we go, three nice cold glasses of-what's going on?" Eric asked as Horatio grabbed a glass.

"Calleigh was just going to tell me what happened last night that made it so bad," Horatio said, sipping his tea. _God, how he missed her tea._

Calleigh reached up with her right arm to take the glass from a stunned Eric, unable to bite back an involuntary cry. She crossed her arms over her throbbing ribcage. "Dammit!"

Eric came to himself quickly, putting both their glasses down and kneeling next to her. "Breathe slowly....easy. Take your time getting your wind back." When she was breathing normally and the look of intense pain left her features, Eric turned his attention to Horatio. "That's what happened last night. She got up in a lot of pain and went into the kitchen to take a pill. She reached up and-"

"And it was like being stabbed. I stumbled backwards and lost my balance. I fell and it set off an explosion," Calleigh admitted softly.

"The sound woke me and when I went into the kitchen, she was lying on the floor in such intense pain. I helped her take her meds and the got her into bed. She couldn't seem to calm down so we talked it out," Eric said when Calleigh faltered.

"Sweetheart, talk to me," Horatio coaxed.

"The pain when I hit the floor gave me a flashback of sorts and it just all was far too much. I couldn't help it. I lost it," Calleigh said, her face hidden by a curtain of hair.

"She was understandably upset, H. She-," Eric said quickly to save Calleigh any more embarrassment.

"No, it's okay. I understand," Horatio replied. He put a finger under Calleigh's chin and raised her face until he could see her eyes. They were moist. "I understand. Calleigh, I know how hard it was for you to give your statement yesterday and I know where you struggled the most. You have been through something that would give anyone nightmares. Even the strongest of us all have a breaking point. There's no shame in it, Calleigh."

"I know, it's just....it looks like I helped-"

Horatio could see that she was floundering in self-doubt and fear. He had to stop it before it consumed her. "You didn't. You know this, I know this and IAB knows this. Rick won't crucify you over this. He's even put in a commendation for you for your ingenuity in finding admissible evidence. Calleigh, you cleaned up two crime scenes with a gun to your head. Any sane, rational person would have done the same to save their life. Yet, you managed to get the evidence we needed to put McAdams and Garver away. You resisted McAdams when he tried to force you and you got broken bones in the process. Sweetheart, that's a whole lot to have issues about. Anybody would and, broken bones aside, if you came to me this morning saying that you were fine and ready to go back to work I would have called you a liar. Right now, you're not fine and I think time and talking it out, whether it's with me or Eric, Natalia, Alexx or the Union shrink, is going to do you good."

"I-"

Horatio reached out and took her hand. "No, this is time and understanding that you need and will take. That's an order. We have been colleagues and friends for too long for me not to give you what you need, as much as you need. Rest, relax and recover; I don't expect to see you at work before Monday. Eric will be on flex time until then to stay around and give you a hand until you can do things for yourself and are off of the Vicodin. I don't want you back before then because you'll be in too much pain without it and on it, you've already admitted to being unable to concentrate fully."

"Horatio, I-" Calleigh began, but then thought about it. It was an amazingly generous offer and she did need time. She needed a whole lot more than time, but she'd take what she could get. "Thank you."

"That's more like it," Horatio said, a gentle smile teasing at his lips. "I've called in Landau from Swing to cover for you until you can come back."

Calleigh tucked her hair behind her ears. "That's good to know. Kevin is solid; he won't let you down. Horatio, I just wish that I didn't need to take time off like this. You know me, I don't take sick days."

Horatio smiled fully at his fiery ballistics expert. "Right now, I'm not envying Eric. You're going to be a real handful, aren't you?"

"She already is. You should have seen her this morning," Eric said. "She was already trying to push herself."

Calleigh shot him a venomous look, which seemed to roll right off his back. After all, at that moment, she was only a paper tiger. "Thanks, Eric."

Horatio stood, noticing that Calleigh appeared to be tiring already. "I'd better go and let you get some rest. Remember what I said. Is there anything you need or want me to get you?"

She shifted against the pillows, wincing slightly at the movement. "Four new ribs and Dan Cooper's head on a platter."

"I can't do anything about the ribs, but I'll see what can be done about Cooper," Horatio said.

"Thanks for stopping by. Tell everyone I say hey," Calleigh said sleepily, the pain medication that she had taken before Horatio's visit getting the better of her.

Eric tucked her body pillow in with her. "Get some sleep. I'll let Horatio out."

The two men quietly crept from the room, closing the door behind them. Not a word was said until they were at the front door.

"You call me if you need anything, Eric," Horatio said.

"I will, H. I promise," Eric replied.

Calleigh's ordeal had taken a serious toll not only on her, but on those that cared about her as well. He knew that Ryan, Natalia and Alexx stayed at the Lab all night trying to find her even before his own plane had landed. Tripp had scoured the streets all night as well. That they now had her back safe and sound had brought to the forefront all of their exhaustion. Everyone was moving a tiny bit slower and stifling yawns that normally weren't there. But they were all happy that their family was together and safe again.


	51. Chapter 51

_**a/n: Thanks for the patience while I tried to figure out what to do. I watched the other two episodes after All In and I really was not inspired, which meant I need to dig for something on my own. So, you get sleep issues and Indian food. What can I say?**_

_**Thanks to everyone that reviewed. I really appreciate it!**_

_**Trying To Be Normal**_

_She fell to the floor, hitting it hard. Before she could even move a heavy boot crashed into her midsection sending bright agony rushing through her; she couldn't breathe as she now lay flat on her back. Suddenly he was there, pawing at her, clawing her sweater up and her trousers down. She squirmed against him, twisting and thrashing despite the pain._

"_Don't fight me, bitch," Seth said close to her ear. He was panting and hard against her thigh. He shoved one hand against her abdomen and she stopped fighting, on the verge of unconsciousness. "That's better; now let's have us some fun."_

_He finally succeeded in pulling her trousers down past her knees and with one savage jerk, tore the silk and lace bikinis from her body. She tried to scream but couldn't as he raised himself above her......._

"No!" Calleigh screamed as she sat up in bed, her ribs a dull ache. Her hair was plastered to her head and she was soaked in sweat. Slowly her surroundings came into focus as the nightmare, the fourth in as many days, faded into nothingness. She looked at the clock on her nightstand, willing her heart to slow it's marathon pounding. 3:45 a.m. Calleigh drew her knees to her chest, buried her face there and wept.

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Natalia entered the break room and stopped, shocked. Steam curled up from a coffee mug in front of a sleeping Calleigh, her head pillowed on her arms. She weighed her options and chose to gently shake Calleigh's shoulder. "Calleigh, wake up."

Calleigh jumped, eyes flying open. "What?"

"I said "Wake up". Calleigh, you fell asleep," Natalia repeated, looking her friend over. She looked completely exhausted, as if she hadn't been getting any sleep. She reached out and stroked the silky blonde hair back. "Have you been sleeping; because you look like you haven't been getting much."

"I'm fine," Calleigh lied.

"No, you're not; and please don't insult my intelligence by insisting you are," Natalia said firmly.

Calleigh looked up at her and read the concern there. "I had a rough night last night. Really, Nat, you don't have to be worried. Everyone has restless nights sometime."

Natalia sat across from her. "Are your ribs hurting again?"

"No, no they're healing nicely I just woke up and couldn't get back to sleep," Calleigh said quickly.

"Calleigh, I'm your friend and I'm worried about you. I don't like what I'm seeing. Today wasn't the first time you've looked tired and it's the fourth time this week. You're obviously not sleeping and the only reason I can think of for that is that you're having nightmares. You are, aren't you?" Natalia said softly, letting Calleigh see her concern.

Calleigh looked away, clearly embarrassed. "I-"

"I wouldn't blame you if you were. I read your statement; we all have. You went through 30 hours of hell at the hands of Seth McAdams. That would give anyone nightmares. It's entirely normal and perfectly understandable," Natalia finished.

"I went for my mandatory appointment with the union shrink. I'm fine. She even said so. I'm sure they'll stop on their own-"

"What'll stop on it's own?" Eric asked, entering and fetching himself a cup of coffee.

"Take a look at Calleigh and tell me what you see," Natalia told him.

"Nat, you're making too much out of this," Calleigh protested.

Eric turned and leaned against the counter and took a good look at Calleigh. She looked like hell. Her eyes were slightly unfocused and there were the beginnings of dark circles beneath them. "Calleigh, have you been sleeping at all?"

"She's been having nightmares," Natalia supplied.

Calleigh glared at her. "Natalia is over reacting. It was just a couple of bad dreams. They'll go away; I'm sure of it. I had a couple of bad dreams last fall with the drug ring and IAB. They went away in a couple of days."

"But why now that you're back at work? I would have thought you'd have them while you were home?" Natalia asked.

"I don't know."

Eric nodded thoughtfully. "I do. You were on heavy pain meds. Dreams are different then. I ought to know."

Calleigh was supremely uncomfortable. "Listen, can we stop talking about this now and get to work?"

She rose and dumped her coffee and left, making her way down the hall toward her lab. Suddenly her progress was checked by a gentle hand on her arm.

"Calleigh, why didn't you tell me?" Eric asked quietly.

She looked up at him and his concern for her welfare was almost painful to see. "Because it's not a big deal. Besides, you worried enough, more than enough, over me for the last two and a half weeks that I couldn't....I didn't want to bother you with this. I'm going to be fine"

"You know you can call me whenever you need me, right?" Eric asked, still unconvinced by her assurances. He stepped in closer, invading her personal space to get his point across. "Right?"

She looked down, nodding. When she spoke, her voice was at a whisper. "Yeah."

"Good. Listen, I was actually looking for you. Valera told me that there's a new Indian restaurant on 14th. She said it had great reviews. Got any plans for tonight?" Eric asked in a more conversational tone.

"Other than doing some gun cleaning, no," Calleigh replied, relieved that he'd changed the subject.

"How about we go all brave and try the place?"

Calleigh snickered slightly. "You're on. Just remember that "vindaloo" is Urdu for incendiary."

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"Take it easy, Calleigh, that's really spicy," Eric choked, gulping half his water after having a few bites of chana pindi, a spiced chick pea dish, on top of a fluffy warm flat bread called naan.

Calleigh laughed and took another bite, savoring the mild heat and spices. "You are such a baby, Eric. I cut my teeth on hot sauce. This is nothing but delicious."

Eric poked at white cubes in the cooked spinach on another plate. "What's this?"

"Saag paneer. It's home made cheese in creamed spinach," Calleigh said, helping herself to some of the appetizer. "I can't believe that you've never had Indian before. I've loved it since I was in college. Nirvana was my go to place. I was literally addicted to one of their chicken dishes. It seared the top of your head off but you couldn't stop eating it. I wish they had it on the menu here."

Eric gulped more water. "This stuff is hot. You know that Cuban food is really mild, right?"

She laughed again and politely waved their waiter over. "Could we have a couple of mango lassi's, please?"

The man smiled at his beautiful blonde customer. "Of course. I'll be right back with it, miss."

"Thank you." She turned back to Eric. "Am I overstepping myself, here? I mean, I'm telling you what to eat and drink. Are you okay with this?"

"Yeah. I don't know anything about this stuff and you do. I haven't had the top of my head blown off yet so, yeah, I'm okay with it. So what's the mango thingy?"

"Lassi. It's a drink and it's good and it'll help you cut the heat on your tongue," she replied as their drinks and entrees arrived.

Eric eyed his tandoori chicken dubiously. "Why is this electric red?"

"It's the spices they use to flavor it. I really think you're going to like it," Calleigh said as she dug into her lamb vindaloo. She savored the aroma for a minute before taking her first bite. "I think I've died and gone to heaven."

"Hey, isn't that supposed to be hot?" Eric asked, sipping his lassi and finding that he liked it....a lot.

"Yep. It is; it's very hot, but I'm loving every taste bud searing moment," she replied, taking some of the naan and soaking up the sauce. "How's yours?"

"Really good. It's not hot at all," Eric replied. He had to admit, he felt slightly emasculated by his mild dish as compared to Calleigh's extra spicy one. "Can I try a bite of yours?"

"I really don't think that's a good idea," she said, wiping the light sheen of sweat from her forehead. Her lips were burning and her tongue was on fire....perfect. "It's ten times hotter than the chick pea dish."

"You can handle it," he protested.

"Yeah, because I'm used to spicy. If you haven't noticed, I'm sweating and not because the weather is hot."

"Just a tiny piece? Please? I just want to try it; it smells so good," Eric wheedled.

Shaking her head, she gave him the smallest piece of lamb she had, adding some naan to soak up the spices. "Take it easy, okay? And if it's too much go for a sip of the lassi."

Eric gave her a cheeky grin and popped the entire thing into his mouth and chewed. Fire erupted along his tongue and he could swear that he heard his taste buds actually sizzle. He swallowed quickly and grabbed the lassi as his eyes teared from the spice. He drank greedily until the fire calmed. "How can you eat that?"

"I like it. Are you alright? Your face is bright red," she asked, concerned.

"Yeah, but I'm not touching another thing on your plate," Eric replied with a small laugh.

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Calleigh opened her door and turned to Eric. "I had fun. Thanks for being such a good sport with something new. Do you want to come in for a cup of coffee or something?"

He smiled at her. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Calleigh lead the way inside and Eric made himself at home. Within a few minutes, she returned with two steaming mugs.

"So, you're not sleeping well," Eric began. "Before you say anything, I'm only bringing it up because I know what it's like. You know once I remembered what happened when I was shot, I had some nasty nightmares. You were there for a few of them."

"Yeah, but-"

"But what? It's different because it's you? Of course it is. You weren't shot, but what happened to you was just as traumatic. Let me help you through this like you helped me," he reasoned, knowing all too well her stubborn streak.

"Eric, I-" she began but found she had no place to go. She was exhausted and stressed and desperately needed to lean on someone she could trust; someone who would be caring but not fuss over her or smother her.

"Lean on me, Cal," Eric said.

"No fussing and no smothering?" she asked softly after a while.

"You know it," he said, smiling softly at her. "Listen, you've been having issues getting a good night's sleep. We're both off tomorrow. You want me to crash here just in case you want a little company in the middle of the night? No hard feelings if you want me to go home."

"Eric, that's incredibly generous. Are you sure? I don't want to put you out or anything," Calleigh stammered, stunned by his openness with his emotions. The reality was that she really did want him there in case the nightmares invaded and she woke up in a terrified sweat again.

"Nope; I'm happy to, Cal. You did it for me so I really want to repay the favor. And I'm free tomorrow if you are. We could maybe go scuba diving or something," Eric said, relieved that she accepted his offer of help.

She grinned at him. "Can we go to that little cove where the manatees feed?"

He returned her grin. "Absolutely."


	52. Chapter 52

_**a/n: This is for my manatee-loving friend, Frost Deejn. I love them, too. I got to feed a rehabilitating mother and calf not all that long ago. They were so badly hurt by a boat's propeller that they were never going to be released back into the wild. It might have killed them. So contact with humans was rehabilitating and healing for them. I have always wished them well. I feel privileged to be able to touch a mermaid. **_

_**If some readers are unfamiliar with the peaceful manatee, they are entirely innocent and gentle vegetarian marine mammals that live in several spots around the world. We are dealing with the Florida Manatee. They are a dying race. There aren't even 2,000 of them in the waters off the Florida coast where there were once thousands. We humans have to save them. We are unspeakable monsters if we don't. They are as innocent as newborns.**_

_**Dancing With Manatees**_

The night had been a rough one for Calleigh. She had fallen asleep fairly quickly but she didn't stay that way. A new and more terrifying nightmare formed; a nightmare that starred Eric.

They were at Club Descent and it was as it had actually played out at first. Seth had her at gunpoint and they entered to where Frank, Eric and Ryan sat, pretending to be the high stakes poker players. Seth demanded their money and the men drew their firearms. This was where it had changed. Seth had panicked and first shot her in the back. As she lay bleeding and immobile on the club's floor she heard another shot go off and looked up to where she could see Eric fall. She tried to move but couldn't. She could see the blood pooling around Eric's body as he bled to death and screamed his name over and over.

Suddenly he was there, in her bedroom, waking her and holding her as she shook uncontrollably, clinging to him, gasping for air and sobbing. It took a while for him to get the story out of her and he continued to hold her until she could calm herself. He held her all night as she slept; peace hers at last.

Eric had awoken first and watched her features as they shifted as she dreamed. She smiled once and he felt safe enough to leave her alone to make them both a decent breakfast. After showering and dressing, he made his way into her kitchen and raided her cupboard and refrigerator. He wanted to give her a pleasant surprise.

Calleigh had awoken while he was away. At first she panicked and then remembered that Eric had to be in the house somewhere. She stretched and remembered that he had promised to take her diving where the manatees fed. Manatees made her smile. They were such gentle and innocent creatures and she loved going to that special cove to watch them feed. Watching the great sea creatures was a unique pleasure. She loved them without question. They were innocent and gentle. Smiling to herself, she took a fast shower and got herself dressed. She exited the bathroom to the most enticing aroma. Following it to it's logical place, she leaned in the doorway to her kitchen and watched as Eric displayed his culinary wizardry.

"You amaze me," she said, nearly purring.

Eric half turned toward her, not wanting his breakfast to burn. "Yeah? Well, get ready to be enchanted."

She chuckled and sat down. "Do you need any help?"

"Nope; I'm almost done." he said. Eric slid his mandarin orange stuffed french toast onto a couple of plates and dropped orange infused butter on top. He had made the butter the night before, knowing that he wanted to give Calleigh something special in the morning, even if she would have had a peaceful night. He was doubly glad he thought of it since her night had been terrible. He inwardly shuddered at her halting and tearful description. She had been terrified. Eric grabbed the syrup and took everything to the table.

"Wow," Calleigh breathed in admiration. "This is amazing. I didn't know that-"

"Cal, you know I can cook. My mom taught me and I had one girlfriend that was a chef before I joined the Lab. She taught me plenty of cooking skills. I had to learn if I wanted to be with her," Eric said. "This is mandarin orange stuffed french toast with orange infused butter. Dig in."

Calleigh poured the syrup over the toast and cut it, allowing the tiny orange slices to protrude. She took the first bite and it was sheer bliss. "What ever happened to her?"

"She owns a restaurant in Key West. We ended up being better friends than lovers. You'd like her," Eric said honestly. He was enjoying the way Calleigh was relishing every bite of her breakfast. "So I'm thinking that you're liking this?"

"This is delicious. You can make this for me any time you want," she confessed and then devoured the rest in blissful silence.

After giving the dishes a good washing, they made their way to the marina where they rented the scuba equipment and boat. The trip to the manatee cove was short and Eric cut the engine and coasted in gently. Not only did he not want to scare the big mammals, but even more: he didn't want to hurt them with the boat's propeller. They were such innocent and curious creatures that they routinely got hurt, sometimes very badly, by unknowing boat owners.

Eric and Calleigh carefully fit themselves with the equipment before slipping into the calm water of the cove. The scene was tranquil and something that Calleigh desperately needed to calm her jangled nerves. The gentle turquoise of the water soothed her and she began to relax, taking note of all the marine life around her. Bright fish darted around her and she took delight in them. A jellyfish lazily puffed along above her and she rolled on her back to watch it in all it's deadly glory. It was beautiful. She reached out to Eric and tugged at his hand, pointing upward at the jellyfish. He, too rolled on his back and watched it go by.__

Eric tugged her hand in turn and lead her to a beautiful outcropping of black coral. If she didn't have the regulator in her mouth, she would have exclaimed over it's lace-like delicacy. She explored the coral, finding something wonderful and new with every glance.

As she neared the surface, attention solely on the living coral before her she felt it. Something brushed her leg. She held completely still, knowing that it could be a shark. It brushed her again, this time with a nudge and firmer contact. It wasn't the hard, razor-like feel of shark skin. She froze, her head the only thing turning. It was at the very edge of her vision. It was some animal; very large and very there. Then it swam into her full vision and she relaxed, even though it nudged her again, this time with more force. It was huge, but definitely nothing to be afraid of. She swam away from the big creature just the same. She knew better than to touch manatees in the wild.

It was bad enough that they were completely innocent and without natural predators, save for humans. In their innocence, they still didn't know enough to be afraid of humans. They flocked to boats and begged for contact only to be hurt and scarred by uneducated or uncaring boat owners. Their sweet faces and lovely eyes were so enticing and endearing that people often played with them and they never learned to fear humans for the cruelty that they could deal.

Calleigh swam over to Eric and pointed. He turned his gaze and his eyes softened to see the big female with her calf. They were happily munching seaweed. Eric remembered back to his history classes.

When the Spanish first came to Florida they named it La Tequesta and returned to Spain with tales of mermaids in the sea. They looked like Nordic walruses but were gentle and nurturing. Many sailors drowned, charmed by these sirens of the sea. Manatees were gentle and trusting creatures and fatally drawn to humans. Perhaps in some way they found a sort of kinship. It was unfortunate. Humans usually ended up hurting or killing them with a fatal combination of thoughtlessness and alcohol and speed boats. Some honestly didn't know and some sought them out, playing with them like a house pet, not understanding the damage they they had done. Manatees needed to fear humans and steer clear of them. It was for their own continued existence.

Suddenly, Calleigh was bumped again and again. The calf had wandered over, it's curiosity getting the better of it's innocent nature. She went deathly still, not knowing what the mother would do. She knew she needed to discourage the calf from contact with her but didn't know how to do it without upsetting the two ton female. She gently pushed the baby away.

"_Go on, little one, go on," _she thought._ "You don't need to know me today."_

The young manatee had other ideas, however, and began nuzzling her, treating her like another manatee. No matter how much Calleigh pushed him away, he just came back for more. Soon the mother joined in and Calleigh found herself caught up in a manatee love fest. Eric, knowing the 2,000 pound female could inadvertently hurt Calleigh, came over to offer assistance and got himself caught up in manatee love. They nuzzled and rubbed up against the two humans and there was nothing that Eric and Calleigh could do to make them go away, short of hurting them, which was unthinkable. While it was an amazing experience to have such intimate contact with such rare and shy creatures, they both knew that it had to end before something unfortunate happened to either of them or the sea mammals.

Finally, Eric grabbed Calleigh's hand and headed for the surface. The manatees followed, nudging and nuzzling the whole way. The two broke the surface and climbed onto the boat, watching the gentle faces of the two manatees hover nearby.

"I can't start the motor; I don't want to hurt them," Eric said.

"Yeah, it doesn't help that they're so very _not _afraid of us." Calleigh shrugged her tank off before going to the cooler. "I'll give up my lunch if it'll get them to go far enough away so they're safe."

"Let's try it," Eric replied, going to the cooler himself and pulling every vegetable off his sandwich he could. "Let's feed these big guys."

"We're not supposed to do this, you know," Calleigh said as she threw her veggies in the water well far from the boat.

"Yeah, but it's better than hurting them. I don't want to ever hurt something so innocent," Eric said, flinging his veggies as well.

The manatees swam after the food and when they were safely away, Eric started the engine. Both he and Calleigh wished them a good and long life free from fear and pain as they gently drove out of the cove.

They returned to the marina a short while later, noting that all of the good dive spots already had too many people in them. Reluctantly, Eric docked the boat and then they began to hand over all the rented equipment to the puzzled manager

"Somethin' wrong with the 'quipment, Mr. Delko?" he asked, scratching his graying head. He was not pleased at losing the money he knew that he had to refund them for the hours they'd not used.

"Nope, everything was great. Our dive spot got invaded," Eric said as the man handed him back a portion of the money for the rental.

The manager scrunched his forehead in puzzlement. "Invaded? Invaded how?"

Calleigh could sense that things were not about to go well and turned her brilliant smile on the rental manager and ramped her charm up until it oozed from her pores. "Manatees. A mama and her calf came on by for a snack and y'all know were not supposed to encourage contact."

_God but she was devistating...._"What are people; Greenpeace?" he mumbled, trying to sound ill-tempered despite being drawn in by Calleigh's smile, charm and knee weakening drawl.

Eric was iritated. It was folks just like this guy that posed the threat to begin with. "Man, have you been asleep for the last 20 years? How can you have missed the radio and television ads as well as the billboards? Manatees....let them be. I don't know about you, but I want my grandkids to be able to see live manatee in their natural habitat."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, you folks are nice and all. I don't mean to be a bad sport, but the economy ain't great right now and I have a feelin' it's gonna get worse before it gets better," he said in a sort of apology. "I'm losing money with havin' to give it back. It's fair that you have it. I just ain't happy givin' it"

If Eric didn't already have his wages being garnished by the bloodsucking Carmen Henney, he'd have let the man keep the rest. As it was, he was hard-pressed to make rent, food and car insurance payments with a little left over to save. "Yeah, no offense taken. I get it. And if it wouldn't be helpful to make sure I have all my bases covered, I'd let you keep it."

"No hard feelin's, Mr. Delko. You and the lady have a good day now," he said, stumping over to a small group that seemed to be contemplating a rental.

"Eric, you never told me money was tight for you right now. I would have put in," Calleigh said softly on the way back to his car.

"No, Cal, I wanted to. I'm not strapped that tight that I can't afford to take my favorite CSI out for a little diving," he lied, knowing that the extra money in his pocket would help a little.

Calleigh was silent a long while. "Still, let me contribute and buy you dinner. Anyplace you want; even if you want to go back to Little Bombay again tonight. Please?"

Eric looked down into her caring green eyes and caved. He knew that he could deny her nothing and give her everything her heart desired. If she wanted to pop for a meal, then he'd let her if it made her happy."Okay. But we now need to decide what we're going to do for the rest of the day."

Calleigh thought for the briefest of moments. "Well, we're dressed for scuba diving, so why not hit the beach and just relax?"

"You really want to darken that pale skin of yours?" Eric teased. "You'll lose all that peaches and cream look you've been sporting."

"I have sunblock," she sassed back.

"You'll freckle," he continued.

"I'm already freckled. What's the matter, don't you want to lounge on the beach with me?" Calleigh purred seductively.

There was nothing he could think of, save one or two things of a more intimate nature, that he would want to do with her than lounge on the beach and relax. "Sounds like a plan. Got any idea where you want to go?"

"I'll leave that up to you since you're familiar with almost every beach and dive spot from here to the keys," Calleigh said happily, dark dreams of pain and death a distant memory in the bright sunlight and pleasant breezes of a Friday in early May.

"I know the place," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her gently toward the car.

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They stood at her front door like two nervous teenagers, the already open. The afternoon had been idyllic and the dinner just shy of romantic. The day was coming to an end.

Eric brushed a lock of hair back from Calleigh's face. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay again tonight?"

She looked down. "I don't want to impose on you. You need your rest, too and I'm off again tomorrow, but you're not. Eric, I don't have words to express how much it meant to me for you to stay last night. But, the truth is, is that I'm going to have to deal with this, myself. The longer I lean on you and not face it, the longer it'll take me to get over it. I don't want to be afraid of chasing down leads on my own or even going to process a crime scene alone."

Eric was disappointed and afraid for her. "I know that, but I can still stay. Calleigh, you were terrified last night. It's not wrong to lean on someone while you're dealing with something troubling. I've learned that in therapy. It's okay to need a little help sometimes."

Hearing the worry in his voice, she was sorely tempted to give into him; his need to stay at her side. She wasn't deluding herself. She knew she'd sleep better if he stayed another night with her. There would be that safety net. She had think about him, too. It wouldn't do his concentration any good if he had to get up in the middle of the night to take care of her if she woke. "Eric, I don't want to-"

"It doesn't make you weak to need someone else sometimes. I've leaned so heavily on you in the last year and you've held me up and protected me from myself some days. I'll stay, even if you think I shouldn't because whether you admit it or not, it'll help you sleep," Eric said, eerily mirroring what was going on inside of Calleigh.

If he understood her inner turmoil so well, then she couldn't tell him not to because she did need him to stay and help her mind rest. She was certain that the memories of the day full of relaxation, laughter, good companionship and an unexpected and rare encounter with gentle giants would help ease her mind into pleasant dreams, but it would help even more if Eric were there, just in case things went bad in the wee hours. "If you're determined, I won't stop you," she said softly.

"I'm determined."

Not weighing the action in her mind at all, she stood on tiptoe and brushed a light kiss across Eric's lips. "Then stay."

Eric went numb as her petal soft lips brushed his in a feather light kiss. It was all he could do just to follow her inside. It was going to be a sleepless night for him, no matter what.


	53. Chapter 53

_**A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out and be posted. I had already written a response to Alexx's departure called "Requiem for an M.E." and I didn't want this to just repeat it and I didn't want to copy and paste it into the chapter. So I had to deal with it differently. **_

_**Parting Ways**_

Eric jogged down the corridor toward Firearms. Nearing the doorway, he could hear the sound of gunfire as Calleigh test fired an Uzi that was confiscated after a drive by in Liberty City. A four-year-old had been killed by a stray bullet and Calleigh was hopping mad over the case.

He stopped in the doorway until he saw Calleigh place the gun on the counter and remove her ear protectors. "Hey."

She half turned, her anger over the drive by still sparking in her eyes. "Hey. What do you need?"

Suddenly, he didn't want to tell her; didn't want her to know. Eric wanted to protect her from the painful knowledge. She and Alexx were so close and he knew, firsthand, how protective Calleigh could be over those she loved. "I, uhm...."

Calleigh removed her glasses and set them on the counter and approached him. Eric was clearly distressed and she wanted to know why. "What's going on? Did you find out who dropped the tile on that guy yet? Eric tell me what's bothering you."

He looked away for a moment. It was better she heard the news from him rather than from someone else. "Calleigh, Brian Woods is mixed up in it. The flagstone came from Alexx's backyard. He ran from the scene of a stabbing and we can't find him. Alexx swears that he didn't do it."

"He didn't. Brian is a good kid, Eric; you know that. Alexx and Henry are raising him and Jamie right. I'm sure there'll be a good explanation for all of this," Calleigh said fiercely.

"I hope so because it's tearing Alexx apart," he said softly, a complete contrast to Calleigh's harsh voice a moment ago. "I just wish I wasn't the one that has to investigate him. I feel like I'm betraying Alexx."

Calleigh rubbed his arm, trying to impart comfort. "Better you than a stranger; did you ever think of that? With you, Brian isn't some obviously guilty kid making up excuses, he is innocent until proven guilty as he should rightfully be."

"I really hope that he just got scared and ran. I can understand that. But we've got to find him and bring him in for his own protection. Alexx says that he told her that he didn't stab the kid and she believes him and so do I. But Brian ran, Calleigh. That makes him look guilty. All this science around us and we can't help him," Eric said. He was miserable because Alexx was so miserable in all of this.

"We'll find him. I'm going over to autopsy and see Alexx," Calleigh said, shrugging out of her lab coat.

Eric put a hand on her arm, stopping her. "She'll know that I told you."

"Somebody would have, anyway. Besides, she has a few more projectiles from the drive by for me. I have to go over there to collect them," Calleigh said. "Eric, don't worry; you know how much I love Alexx. I'll do what I can for her."

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"Henry, I know but now they can't find him. He looks so guilty but I know in my heart he isn't......Well it's not like either one of us has been around as much as we would like........I know you did and I ended up missing Janie's gymnastics meet just last week.......When is your flight back?.......Good because I need you right now. Brian needs you, too.....I love you, too," Alexx said, closing her cell. She leaned heavily against the operating table and hung her head. She felt like she'd aged since first finding out about her flagstone being used as the murder weapon. She was just grateful that Horatio and Eric were being so discrete, but now there was a BOLO out on Brian.

The doors opened and Calleigh entered quietly. She had accidentally heard the last half of the conversation and hung back to give Alexx her privacy. Now she walked over to her friend and rubbed her back. "It'll be fine, you'll see. I'm sure Brian didn't do anything wrong."

Alexx's laugh was short and harsh. "Calleigh Duquesne: The Eternal Optimist. Baby, I'm so worried that I'm sick to my stomach right now."

"I know you are," Calleigh said softly, pulling the older woman into an embrace.

Alexx began to take a measure of comfort from her friend's touch and laid her head on her shoulder. "What if Horatio has to charge him with something? I mean, the flagstone came from our yard. He had to know the kid that took it. Brian ran from a stabbing, even though he says he didn't do it and didn't know who did, he still pulled the knife out of the kid's back and now his fingerprints tell another story. What if my boy has to serve time?"

"Sh-h-h, no, it's not going to happen. We're not going to let it happen. Alexx, he's innocent; I can feel it. I'm sure that as soon as we find him we'll get the answers we need. He's probably just scared. Please try to calm down," Calleigh said soothingly, doing her level best to give Alexx the support she needed. Her heart hurt to see Alexx that way and it made just want to start a grid search of Miami, herself, to find Brian and bring him to his mother.

Alexx sniffed once, twice and then pulled away. "Thank you, Calleigh. I needed that. I've been trying to hold it together this whole time and it's getting too hard."

Calleigh gave her a reassuring smile. "You'd do the same for me."

Alexx returned her smile a little. "Yeah. Now, I've got to get down to work. Dead people don't just autopsy themselves."

"Are you sure you don't want to go up and get some coffee and talk?"

"No, baby, I've got work to do. I managed to get all 37 bullets out of the drive by victims for you. What a mess. They're in that box," Alexx said, the mask of professionalism falling over her once again.

"Okay. Thanks, Alexx," Calleigh said, catching the M.E.'s sad eye.

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Eric sat down heavily, the case against Alexx's son weighing on him. He knew in his heart that Brian Woods was innocent and just constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had known that kid since he was nine and never known him to get in a fight, let alone stab someone or be caught with a bag full of drugs. He sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Hey, I feel bad about this, too," Ryan said entering and pouring himself a cup of coffee. He sat across from Eric. "I know he didn't do it and is covering up for the person or people that did. He just won't talk."

Eric looked up at Ryan, realizing that he and Horatio were the ones to bring Brian in. Ryan was close to Alexx. It had to be eating at him, too. "Yeah. I feel like I'm betraying Alexx every time I find something else that points at Brian."

Ryan nodded, understanding. "The kid has to talk or he's going to do time and _that_ is going to kill Alexx."

"I'm running the prints I found on the plastic bag through AFIS now. I just had to get out of my lab and take a break," Eric said.

"Natalia is till processing the DNA from the knife the last time I saw her. Maybe she found something good that points away from Brian," Ryan replied. "You know, this is actually worse than when Calleigh was abducted a few weeks back."

Eric gave him a sharp look. "What do you mean?"

Ryan swallowed hard, realizing how callous he sounded. "Just that, even though we were all worried sick over Calleigh, we all knew that she could take care of herself and would do whatever she could to get herself out of the situation. She's tough, clever and resourceful. She proved it. C'mon, Eric, she fed us unorthodox clues and saved herself. We were just there to pick up the criminal that she handed us."

"Yeah, but didn't get away without a scratch, you know. She's still healing," Eric defended. Wolfe didn't hold Calleigh as she cried in both physical and emotional pain. He didn't know.

"You're right. Calleigh got hurt, but she's going to heal up. If Brian goes down for this, I don't think Alexx will ever heal from it. Calleigh took charge of her situation and did something about it. Alexx is helpless because she can't do anything about it. She can't leave clues and she can't save Brian if the evidence says otherwise. That's why this is worse," Ryan said, defending his position. He wasn't angry at Eric for calling him on it and he knew Eric had a point. He had caught Calleigh wincing in pain a few times and knew she wasn't 100 percent emotionally yet. She'd never admit to it so he never said anything to her. He just made sure that she didn't carry the evidence boxes and really watched her back at crime scenes. It was the least he could do.

Eric nodded, mulling over Ryan's words. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He stood and emptied the remainder of his coffee into the sink. "I'm going to see if AFIS kicked anything out yet."

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Horatio had told her and it upset her to no end, but she understood Alexx's decision. Calleigh walked the last few paces to the autopsy theater's doors and pushed them open. Her eyes watered and she blinked back the moisture.

"Alexx?"

"In my office, Baby," Alexx's voice said.

Calleigh crossed the silent theater, her heels clicking loudly. She stopped in the office doorway. "Hey."

Alexx looked over at her. "You've heard."

The blonde nodded. "Horatio told me."

"Do you understand my reason for leaving?"

Calleigh bit her lip, a sure sign that her emotions were getting the better of her. "Yeah, family has to come first. I understand; I do.....it's just...."

Alexx put her books down and embraced the younger woman. Calleigh was family, too, just not of the biological variety. "I know, baby girl. This is hard for me, too. I don't want to leave, but I have to."

Calleigh buried herself in the embrace. "We need you, but Brian and Jamie need you more. It's not like you can be a part time M.E. around here."

Alexx kissed her cheek and pulled back. She could see the tears standing in Calleigh's eyes and knew there were tears in her own. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Hey, now, I'm only a phone call away and you're still coming over to our Memorial Day barbecue, right?"

Calleigh forced a watery smile. "Wouldn't miss it."

"Good because Henry got the kids a Wii system for Christmas and they're both dying to take you on," Alexx said.

Calleigh let out a little laugh. "They're going to whip my backside, then. I'm not good at video games."

Alexx hated to do it, but she picked up another stack of medical books and put them in a box. She regarded Calleigh for a moment. "If you don't have anything to do right now, I could use a hand. I didn't realize all the stuff that found it's way here."

Not uttering a word, Calleigh picked up several file folders and began helping Alexx pack.

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Eric was bone tired but couldn't bring himself to go home. He sat in the locker room staring at his open locker. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't hear the door open and he didn't hear the footfalls approaching his aisle.

Calleigh turned the corner and stopped, her heart seizing in her chest. Eric was just sitting there like a lost little boy. The last time she had seen a look like that on him had been after Speed had been killed. Like then, she understood his feelings. She walked quietly up to him and laid her hands on his shoulder. "Hey, I miss her already, too."

Eric turned around on the bench until he was facing her and embraced her, laying his head on her abdomen. "You have to be feeling just as bad."

She rubbed her hand over his short stubble of hair as she cradled his head to her. "Yeah. I just can't imagine what Alexx must have been going through today and I don't blame her for making the decision she did. I just wish it didn't hurt so much."

Eric let go of her and stood up. "I'm really not in the mood to go home but I don't want to stay here. How about you?"

Calleigh opened her locker and grabbed her purse, placing her firearm inside. "Same here. I'm just not coming up with any options."

"We could maybe figure out something to do together, that is, if you feel like having company," he said hesitantly.

Calleigh regarded him for a long moment before speaking. "Company would be very welcome right now. I think the Panthers are playing the Sharks up in Ft. Lauderdale tonight. You can always get tickets to the game. Feel like a little post-season hockey?"

Eric let a small smile ghost across his lips. He liked going to the games with Calleigh and some vicariously lived violence just might be what he needed. Fights always broke out at the hockey game. "Yeah, that sounds good."

She gave him a very rare saucy smile. "Then let's call it a date."


	54. Chapter 54

_**Thanks everyone for the patience since it's taken such a long time for me to update this. RL stuff happened and then I hit a brick wall and couldn't find any inspiration for this chapter. Revisiting Alexx's departure kind of wrung me out. **_

_**Wired**_

Horatio stood just outside the Ballistics Lab, stepping aside as Rick Stetler exited. "Rick."

Stetler nodded in greeting. "She can't remain on the premises but I won't embarrass her by insisting on an escort. She really hasn't done anything wrong and shouldn't be treated like she has."

The red head raised a ginger eyebrow. "So, you're on her side?"

Rick nodded. "She did what she did to save her own life and I can't say that I wouldn't do the same if it were me. I'll give her half an hour to get things squared away and off the premises. I can't give her more than that."

"That's decent of you, Rick."

"You might want to talk her down; she's pretty upset right now. I tried to let her know that I'm on her side and that my hands are tied but I don't think she really heard me," Stetler said. "She's not taking it well at all and I don't blame her. I'll see what I can do to minimize the fall-out from this. There'll be some sort of penance to pay, I'm sure."

Horatio nodded in thanks and walked into Ballistics. "Calleigh," he said softly.

She had her back to him and he could see that she was trembling. Calleigh was still smarting from having her professionalism called into question. "You heard, then. I'm sorry, Horatio."

"It's not your fault, you know; it's Rossi's doing. I'm sure Rick told you that you have to leave for the day. He needs you out of the Lab in a half an hour. I'm so sorry, Calleigh. I'll do what I can in the meantime," Horatio said, placing a hand on his second's shoulder. It hurt him to just let her twist in the wind like he was being forced to do at the moment.

Calleigh felt the air leave her lungs and all she could do was nod.

Horatio could feel her inner collapse under his hand. He gave her shoulder a small squeeze. "I'll fix this; don't worry. Just take the day but leave your cell on. Rossi won't get away with what he's trying to pull."

Her voice was small and soft when she spoke. "Thank you. I'll be going."

Horatio watched her leave, his temper beginning to boil. She didn't deserve this. She'd had more than her fair share of heartache with the website and her abduction. Calleigh was still healing physically, mentally and emotionally from her ordeal and Rossi dredging it all up again wasn't helping her one bit. Resolved to see the matter put to rest once and for all, he turned and headed off to the legal department.

She felt sick to her stomach at the thought of a potential murderer going free just because of Dan Cooper's stupid website. When was it going to end? Hadn't there been enough fall-out already that's interfered with enough investigations? Calleigh knew that that sleaze Rossi only used it to help discredit the evidence and get his client off. That was his job. But he was hurting people in the process and his actions could bring the Lab's credibility into question, which could jeopardize dozens of jobs, hers being one of them.

Calleigh dug in her purse to find her car keys when the locker room door opened and Eric walked in. It took only one look at him to know that he knew.

Eric was beside himself. She was taking the heat for him. She was protecting him and that put her own career in jeopardy. He couldn't stand idly by and let her take the fall. "Calleigh, I just heard. Why didn't you tell Stetler the truth that the notes were mine?"

Calleigh sighed. She had been afraid of this. "Okay, about the sheet.....here's the thing....you know after you were shot you came back to work pretty fast and maybe it was too fast. And I guess that I was just so happy that you were okay that I didn't say anything and I probably should have."

He wasn't understanding her at all. Did she doubt him, too? Was all of her confidence in him just an act? "Say anything about what?"

She had to ask; had to know. "Well, are you okay? We never talk about it; you never talk about it."

He searched her large, expressive eyes for doubt and found none. He saw only concern and compassion in them. She didn't doubt him; she was scared for him. "It's a process and the medication helps and the therapy helps. And I make a few little notes here or there and that helps."

Calleigh swallowed hard. It was killing her inside to say the next thing. "Well, I have to say something.....because I feel for you and you know that. But if one memory lapse allowed a killer to go free-"

"I would have turned in my badge a long time ago, you know that. I'm retraining my brain, Calleigh, but I know how to do my job," he shot back. He was getting angry, but not at her, at the situation she was placed in because of him and now because of the questions she had to ask him.

Calleigh's heart sank a little lower, knowing what she needed to hear from him next. She would protect him as best as she could. She just needed to know if it was worth it. Her professional reputation and career was riding on it. "What about the cheat sheet?"

"Why does everyone keep calling it that? Work isn't a test you take. It's something that you do right every time. So what if I take a few notes? Would it make you feel better to know that I never consulted them; not once?" Then it hit him. She could lose her job over this and him. He really couldn't have that. "Look, I'll go to Stetler myself and tell him everything."

God, how she adored him. With the rocky year he'd had and all the small mistakes he'd made, with all the struggling he'd done, he was still willing to throw himself in front of her to save her job. She couldn't let him do it. Her career was on more solid ground and she didn't have a traumatic brain injury to have doubt about her abilities being just the reason the County had to let a criminalist go and save money in the budget. "Don't. Here's the thing, I'm off the case but you're not. Find another way to get the guy. I know you can do that. Do that, instead; for us."

She was right and he knew it. There was no reason for the both of them to be in hot water. He'd go back and find something, anything to get the guy. If he did, then maybe, at the end of the day they'd both still be employed.

"Alright," he murmured and left her in the locker room. Eric could tell that she needed space and time and she was in a darker place at the moment. As much as he just wanted to make it all better, he kept his peace and returned to work.

Eric stared at the suit jacket for the longest time before it hit him. GSM! Gun Shot Mist! It had to be. When it sparkled in the Lab's lighting, he could have jumped for joy, sang and danced. Calleigh sacrificing herself had been worth it. He couldn't wait to get Cullen in and nail him to the wall.

Sharing the news with Ryan had the younger man smiling, too. He also had heard about what happened with Calleigh and was worried about her.

"So, how's she taking the whole suspension from the case?" Ryan asked Eric as they drove to arrest Peter Cullen.

Eric shook his head. "She struggling, but she'll be fine once this whole thing blows over."

Ryan was silent a long while. "Cal's had it rough in the last couple of weeks, hasn't she? Maybe we ought to do something nice for her, you know, let her know we care."

Eric raised an eyebrow. Who knew Wolfe could be so sensitive? "What, like take her out to dinner or something?"

"Or something. She always has our backs. We need to let her know-"

"Okay. Let's just get Cullen and wrap it up so Calleigh can come back to work," Eric said as they pulled in at the agency.

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Eric was flabbergasted. Rossi truly was a sleaze. How he had managed to get a confidential recording of one of Eric's therapy sessions was beyond him. In a white fury, he went looking for Horatio. He found him just outside Trace.

"You heard what happened?" Eric asked.

"I did."

"First Calleigh and now me? Rossi's behind all of this and he's going to get away with murder," Eric said roughly. If he'd have known this would happen, he'd have gone to Stetler and confessed everything.

"No, he's not, Eric," Horatio said confidently. Even without Eric and Calleigh on the case or even despite their evidence being dismissed by the state's attorney, they weren't out of tricks just yet.

"We don't know what else he has on us."

Horatio smiled slightly. Oh, no, they still had tricks up their sleeves. "It doesn't matter what he has on us."

"Why not?" Eric asked, wondering about the sly smile playing across his brother in law's lips.

"Because we're going to destroy him first."

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Destroy him they did and even though Eric and Calleigh had been removed from the case, Horatio called them both in to process Rossi's office and confiscate any ill-gotten information in whatever form they found. It was to be placed into the Lab's evidence locker for use against Kurt Rossi at his trial.

Once they had secured the evidence they headed toward the locker room.

"Calleigh, could I see you for a moment, please?" Horatio called.

"I'll catch up with you,' she said to Eric, dread beginning to settle into her stomach. She knew that there would have to be some sort of official punishment for taking the fall for Eric. Better her than him.

"Come in, please,' Horatio said, ushering her into his office. He shut the door behind her.

"Miss Duquesne, because of the website and your check list, I'm forced to put you on suspension-"

"What?"

Rick held up his hands. "Look, just hear me out and don't interrupt. You're on suspension and cannot do any field or lab work until you've taken a refresher course in forensic science and passed every one of your proficiencies. Only then will you be allowed to resume your normal duties. An official reprimand will be placed on your record."

Calleigh looked at Horatio in shock. "Horatio-"

He looked at her. "It's either that or you lose your job. I need you too badly for you to not comply with the suspension. Calleigh, you and Rick and I know that you never did anything wrong, but the department can't take the hit right now."

Calleigh tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "So I have to take one for the team?"

Rick looked over at her in sympathy. She didn't deserve any of it. "Yes, I'm afraid. It took a lot of favors and wheedling, but that's the lightest that Horatio and I could get for you."

It wasn't that she was ungrateful; it just stung that her near perfect career seemed to mean nothing now. "Loss of pay?"

Horatio could read the hurt in her eyes. "Half. You know, your record weighed heavily in your favor as did the confession from Dan Cooper regarding the website. It showed the state's attorney and the Chief that you had no control of the situation and that you did what you had to do to keep yourself alive. Your reputation has taken a hit, but not with me. I know you're upset and hurt right now. I don't blame you. Just pass the course like I know you can and get those proficiencies over with and get back here. We need you."

Calleigh nodded and then looked up at the two men, realizing for the first time that Rick had been in her corner the entire time. "Thank you for standing by me. It means a lot."

Horatio handed her a manila folder. "This is all the information about the forensics course. I know you'll ace it."

"Do you mind if I go now? It's been.....I have an information packet to look at," Calleigh said unsteadily.

Horatio regarded her a moment, knowing that she was fighting with everything she had to remain professional. "Sure. You'll be back in no time."

Calleigh nearly bolted out of the office and down the hall to the locker room, relieved to find it empty. Eric had gone home, apparently. Taped to her locker was a single yellow rose with a note attached: "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I owe you more than I could ever repay. Love, Eric"

She was suspended with only half her pay coming in and had to take a forensics course that she could probably teach as well as sleep her way through her proficiencies again. Was it worth it She sniffed at the rose. Definitely.


	55. Chapter 55

A/N: Thanks you all for all of your patience with this story. I hit the ugly wall of writer's block and it wouldn't move until, literally, this morning. Along with the writers' block, my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer and so my focus had to focus away from writing and onto RL. She's currently 11 months in remission and I think that's why the block finally lifted on the story. Enjoy the chapter

_**Little Steps **_

_**chapter 55**_

_**This Can't Be Happening**_

Horatio was dead...Calleigh spun away from Ryan and Eric, a fist of grief so hard hitting her in the stomach that she felt dizzy and nauseous.

"Oh my God," she cried, cradling her spinning head, trying to wrap her mind around all of it. She could dimly hear Eric and Ryan arguing. They couldn't turn on each other. They didn't have the luxury of that right then. Then another sickening realization hit her; despite her administrative leave and the refresher course in forensics and the having to retake all her proficiencies, she remained Horatio's second in command of the Lab, which, upon his untimely death, and until other arrangements were made, _she _was now head of the Lab. She was going to vomit. Wait...what was Ryan saying?

"I released the body," Ryan said far too calmly.

Calleigh spun, suddenly outraged. "What?" she demanded.

"I released the body," he repeated and then Eric exploded.

Calleigh took several deep breaths before she could even speak. Ryan's actions had good intentions, but it did nothing to help them find the murderer. Feeling the unwelcome weight of leadership settle over her shoulders and coating her back like a suffocating wet woolen blanket, she turned to the two men..._her _team.

There was the unmistakable ring of authority in her voice. "How did you get here so fast?"

"I was running an errand and I was nearby," Ryan said lamely. It sounded weak and feeble to his own ears. He could feel the grief and anger radiating from Eric and Calleigh was clearly furious...and something else. Her eyes flashed and there was the air of leadership around her.

"You left that interrogation for an errand?" she demanded, her tone uncompromising.

He knew he was digging himself in deeper with them, but they needed to be protected. If making them hate him until it was all over, then he'd do it. "Just a stupid errand. I dropped everything when I heard it over the radio."

Eric's mind had now had time to calm somewhat and he began to have a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. "This doesn't make sense."

Calleigh could feel the way things were turning and had to stop the accusations before they started. If that happened, they'd be fragmented and useless to each other and Horatio. "Let's focus; Horatio had enemies, we know that.."

"Who was it? It was someone close," Eric said, thoughts and ideas formulating in the analytical part of his mind.

Anger began to boil inside Calleigh. Someone had the audacity to take someone so precious in her life away from her. Horatio wasn't just her boss, but mentor and friend. He had taught her so much over the years. They had grown apart recently, but he was still like a father to her and she was now royally pissed. "We find out who did this. We find out."

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After collecting all the evidence they could find, Eric and Calleigh climbed back into their Hummer and began to head back to the Lab. Eric looked over at Calleigh, who was not fairing any better than he was at the moment.

"Calleigh, pull over and take a breath," Eric said softly.

Calleigh shook her head. "No, we have evidence to get back to the Lab. We don't have time-"

Eric put a gentle hand on her arm. "Yes, we do. We just lost someone so important to us and we need to take time and grieve. I need the time before heading back to the Lab."

Again, Calleigh found herself responding to his need and pulled over in the first parking lot she came across. "Okay."

As she slowed the huge vehicle into an isolated spot, she felt her iron grip on her emotions begin to loosen, tears beginning to prick at the corners of her eyes. She blinked them back and looked over at Eric. He looked lost. He wasn't taking the news any easier and possibly far worse than she was. She had to remember that Horatio had mentored Eric, too and, ever so briefly, they had been related through Marisol. She touched his shoulder. "Let's get out and go sit on that bench and talk."

Eric nodded and exited the Hummer, following her over to the deserted park bench. He felt like he lost Marisol all over again. He counted himself fortunate that Horatio had been his boss and so forgiving of a rookie's mistakes and then he became family and they became even closer in their shared grief over Marisol. Neither man had spoken a word abut their trip to Rio, but they became unbelievably close, particularly after Eric had been shot. The only ones that had logged more time helping him out and caring for him beside Calleigh was Horatio and his mother.

Calleigh double checked that the vehicle was locked and then turned her attention to Eric. "Talk to me."

Eric sat silent for a few moments. "I...I can't believe he's gone, Calleigh. We just shared the paper and a pot of coffee in the break room this morning. Where did this day go so wrong?"

Calleigh's eyes teared up again and this time she did nothing about it. Responding to Eric's obvious and raw grief, she reached out, taking the anguished man in her arms. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "I don't know. Horatio and I were just getting back on track, you know? We, uhm, we were going to make time this week to eat lunch together and go over our cases."

Eric hugged her back, trying to comfort as well as grieve. "This is insane. What are we going to do without him?"

Calleigh sniffled. "Catch his killer and put him in a cell so he'll never see a hint of daylight again. By killing a cop, it's a capital offense and he'll get the chair. I'll strap him in, myself. I don't want to say this, but we have to get back to the Lab. We have the lion's share of the evidence and...until we know otherwise, it's my Lab now and I need to hold up and lead by example. I wish I didn't have to say that."

Eric nodded and wiped his eyes, pulling away from her. "You'll be fine, Calleigh. You've been the boss before."

"Yeah," she nodded, wiping her eyes. Her cell begged for attention. "Duquesne...uh-huh. Okay, Frank, Eric and I are on our way to the Lab. I tell you what, you go interview anyone that might have seen anything and I'll drop Eric off with the evidence then come back and help you out. See you in thirty."

"How's Frank holding up?" Eric asked, buckling himself back in.

She started the engine. "Just barely; I can hear it in his voice. You heard my end of the conversation. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, sure. It'll give me something to do while you liaison with P.D.," Eric said, settling back into his seat. "I want this guy so bad I can taste it."

"We'll get him, Eric."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eric fumed as he left autopsy He understood that the M.E. Had to release the-Horatio's body to the Feds, but Eric desperately needed closure. That M.E. didn't care. Eric hoped the guy was a temp and they'd get a better, more caring M.E. in later. How he ached for Alexx's loving comfort. Without her, the autopsy theater was cold and lifeless; just as lifeless as the clientele.

How were they going to tell Alexx? It was bad enough when the news broke through the Lab. Natalia was a mess. She and Horatio had been getting closer as he aided Calleigh in mentoring the DNA analyst's effort to become a full-fledged CSI. It took her a long time to calm down and try to refocus on her work. Eric shook his head. Calleigh was right. Lead by example. Following her lead, he headed back into Trace to see if he could get a break in the case.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x

Calleigh stopped the Hummer and slid out. Seeing Frank's comforting bulk, she made straight t him, dodging out of the already gathering media's way. It was turning into a circus already. She could see the toll Horatio's death had already taken on Frank. His somber face was all she needed to see.

Calleigh stooped at arm's length and pat his elbow. "How you doing?"

Frank could see the remnants of redness around her eyes and knew she was putting up a brave front to keep everyone moving. He sidestepped the question and shook his head; the only show of emotion he'd allow himself until everything was over with. "I've talked to everybody from the crew to the tower."

Calleigh recognized what the gesture was and quickly flipped into an all-business mode. "Did you learn anything?"

"A private jet took off about the time the shot was reported. It was bound for Puerto Rico," he reported, his respect for the petite blonde raising even higher than it was before.

"We're there any witnesses?" Calleigh said, taking comfort in working. Something was bothering her, though. Something was just not right with the whole situation. It felt hinkey to her, very hinkey.

"A lot of noise on the ground;planes taking off. Nobody claims to have heard r seen anything,"Tripp replied, shaking his head at the incredulousness that no one witnessed anything.

"You know what I don't understand is what Horatio was doing out here in the first place," Calleigh said softly.

Frank pulled out a sheet of paper with writing on it. "This might explain it. This is a passenger manifest from the jet. Julia and Kyle were on board."

Well, if Julia and Kyle were on board, it made sense. Horatio had been making certain they were out of harm's way and he got killed for his efforts. "Where are they now?"

"Plane landed 40 minutes ago in San Juan and I've already talked to the local authorities. No sign of them."

Anxiety began to grow in Calleigh's chest. What was going on? "Stay on that because they are either our two best suspects or our two best witnesses."

Frank's voice was low. "Let's find out who did this, Calleigh."

Calleigh's voice was equally low. "As long as we're breathing, Frank." With another gentle pat to his arm and a warm look, she turned away and began to walk back to her Hummer, her mind whirling. What happened to Julia and Kyle? Did they shoot Horatio and flee back into Miami or did they actually see who did it and fled away from the plane? There were too many questions and not enough answers. She shook her head. Maybe Eric had something.

A reporter rushed her, shoving a microphone in her face. "Is it true that Horatio Caine was shot and killed here today?"

Calleigh ducked away and shot the reporter an icy glare. "No comment."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Eric, I need you, Natalia and Ryan to get back over here. I have the media crawling and I'm getting an urgent page from the Chief. I need to try and put out the fire before I can be any use to the team," Calleigh said as she drove quickly toward police headquarters.

"No problem, Cal. Did Tripp have any leads?" Eric replied, already on the move, tapping first the DNA lab's glass and then tapping fingerprints.

"Well, I now know that Julia and Kyle are involved in some way; I just don't now how yet. See if you can come up with anything."

"Will do."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

By the time Agent Caldwell made it to P.D., Calleigh was seething. She did her best to reign in her temper, having just spoken to Eric about the same thing when he nearly took Diaz's head off earlier. It was getting harder to do since Caldwell was trying to worm out of the suspicion and he was trying to double talk her.

"It wouldn't be the first time a Fed crawled over the body of a good cop, would it," Calleigh shot back at him. She clenched her jaw.

Caldwell leaned forward. "You watch your mouth," he said commandingly.

Calleigh was not to be intimidated. "Don't talk to me like that," she growled back, steel in her eyes.

"I'll talk to you anyway I see fit, young lady," he said dismissively. "Now if you've got nothing else?"

So he saw her as a child playing grown up games, did he? She dropped her tone. Smug, knowing. "Oh, but I do. This is the release form for Horatio's body. It was signed for by an Agent Dean Redland and we've matched the handwriting to you."

"I don't have to say another word to you."

Suspects all sounded alike when you had them by the short hairs. "I would love that. In the meantime, I'm going to get a warrant for your phone..

"You do that."

Calleigh stalked away from him, simmering on low. What was she missing and why was Caldwell so close lipped when he was more than helpful yesterday. Did he have something to do with Horatio's death? Why did he take the body and what did he do with it? Her head began to hurt.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x

After a couple of aspirin and a cold cloth on the back of her neck to ease the throbbing a little, Calleigh was paged with the notice that the warrant for Caldwell's PDA had arrived. At least something was going right. She retrieved it and pulled the PDA straight out of the agent's hand without uttering a word. The man infuriated her and it was getting to be almost impossible to keep herself in check and lead by example. It was Horatio would want her to do; what he counted on her doing.

Entering the AV lab, her spirits were lifted to see Eric already at work. She slid the PDA over to him and they began scanning it for the information they wanted: who did Caldwell have working with him? A text of "It's done" showed up from that morning. They followed the text log for the recipient's number. As the sound of the phone ringing filled the lab, something bothered Calleigh about that number. It was so familiar, yet she couldn't grasp anything. Her mind was moving to quickly and she was exhausted. Who's number was that?

"This is Wolfe."

They looked at each other in disbelief. How could Ryan be working with Agent Caldwell to kill Horatio?

"Ryan," Calleigh breathed then she and Eric were off, chasing Ryan down the hallway.

Eric's long legs and anger got him to their colleague first. "It all makes sense now; how you got there s fast; why you released the body."

"Eric, I want you to relax because this is not how it looks," Ryan said calmly.

Calleigh's eyes flashed and it took everything in her not to shake the man. After all Horatio did for him! "Really? Because it looks like you and Caldwell are responsible for Horatio's murder."

In a flash, Ryan turned on her, got in her face. "Really? Because you're wrong."

"He texted you "It's done."

"Yeah, what does It's done mean, Wolfe?" Eric bit out. He was getting angrier by the second.

Ryan was afraid this exact thing would happen. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I was following orders."

While Eric lowered his voice as well, he took a step in. "Orders from who? Orders from who, Wolfe?" He couldn't stop himself. He did what Calleigh had wanted to do herself and grabbed him and shook him. "Huh? From who?"

"From Horatio."

Calleigh could feel the tentative control she had over herself crack. "I don't believe anything you're saying."

Eric's voice was deadly. "You tell us what you know."

Ryan's voice dropped even lower. "He's alive."

"What?" Calleigh couldn't believe her ears. Her stomach took another flip for the hundredth time that day. She was fast becoming nauseated again.

Eric felt his curiosity peaking, despite the emotional turmoil that had just gone on all day. He let Ryan go.

"Horatio is alive," Ryan said after looking around to see if anyone was around to overhear"The M.E. Was an ATF plant. Ortega as sending someone to kill him. Saris wanted him dead too, the only way he was going to survive was to stage his own execution. Caldwell did the shooting. I was just responsible for the blood. That's why I left the interrogation."

"Where is Horatio now?" Eric asked, relaxing for the first time since this roller coaster day started. He glanced at Calleigh and was alarmed immediately. She was rapidly paling out.

"He could be anywhere."

"Let's just keep this between us and keep going with the plan. Excuse me," Calleigh said and then turned on her heel and made her way to the Ladies' in as quick a time as she could. She fell into a stall and threw up what little was in her stomach. She sat there, on the floor, shaking with pent up emotion. Wave after wave of relief washed over her as the news that Horatio was alive sunk in. She drew her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. She felt a hundred years old and completely exhausted. Somehow, she needed to find the energy to see the charade through. Horatio had to be safe if he was ever to come out of hiding. Suddenly, the sound of the door opening and heeled shoes broke her from her thoughts.

"Calleigh? Are you alright?" Natalia asked.

"Yeah, I just...I needed a little quiet," Calleigh replied as she stood and flushed the toilet. She straightened her top and ran a hand through her hair. Hen she stepped out of the stall, she found herself enfolded in Natalia's arms.

"I know, honey. This whole thing must be so hard on you. You knew him longer," Natalia said.

"Yeah, it's been tough," Calleigh said, extricating herself from the embrace. She went to the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. "We'll all get through this. I know we will. It's back to work."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eric paced the parking structure and huffed in annoyance. He said that he understood why Horatio chose Wolfe instead f him for the set up, but while he might intellectually understand, emotionally, he didn't. Horatio said that he was the obvious choice. He needed clarity, a better explanation than what few rushed words cold be had for the clandestine meeting.

Eric took out his phone and hit speed dial.

"Duquesne," Calleigh's voice said with those soft, soothing Southern tones.

Eric felt himself relax a little. Hey, Calleigh. I just met with him."

"How'd it go?"

"I asked him why Wolfe and not me. I mean, it's not like we didn't go t Rio last year. He told me that I had been the obvious choice but that if it went bad, he didn't want that for me. He wouldn't elaborate on it," Eric explained. "What does that mean?"

He could hear Calleigh put something metallic on a surface before speaking. "I think he wants to protect you, Eric. You're wages are still being garnished and you've had to relearn everything all over again. If it all went bad, you could lose your job. Ryan already lost his once last year. Eric, you can't afford to look bad in the department's eyes, Ryan can."

He was silent for a moment. "Still, I wish it had been me that he came to."

"I'm sure he wanted to, but you're also a horrible liar. You wouldn't have been able to keep up the ruse. You're too honest." She said around a bite of pasta.

"Am I interrupting you?"

"No, I was just sitting in the break room having a quick bite while I can. You okay?" Calleigh asked, concern for him clear in her voice.

She was right. He was a terrible liar. "I will be once all this is over and we can cut the cloak and dagger crap. How are you holding up?"

"Better now that I now the truth. Listen, I've got to go. I'm being paged by Reception." she said.

"Okay. I'll talk to you later...and, thanks Calleigh."

He could hear her smile in her voice. "Anytime."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

If the day could get any worse, it just did. Jake Berkeley. She hadn't really thought about Jake since he took off and she was tired of crying over him. She was not prepared to interview him, nor see him. Yet she had to be the one interviewing him since she was head of the Lab as far as anyone was concerned. It was the hardest interview she had had to do in a long time. He looked older, thinner, like he'd been into the dark side again. She used a herculean feat of will power not to ask him how he was.

He was just as cocky as he always was, despite apologizing for disappearing on her. Better late than never. He didn't make any promises, but he did tell her that he would see what he could do, and what that meant, she didn't know.

Then, a couple of hours later, he'd come back to her with all the guns that were used in the armored car robbery at tremendous risk to himself. She was dumbstruck when he admitted that he had taken such a risk, not for the case, but for her. She had just assumed that he had left because she wasn't enough for him, that he stopped caring. But here he was, now with an entire gang after him and he brings her the guns that will get the gang convicted. He had wanted her to wait for him, but he didn't know if ATF could even extract him before the Crypt Kings found him. If they did, he was breathing his last few breaths. If ATF managed to get him out, he'd be gone for maybe a year, maybe more. That's when Calleigh realized that there was no way that she could live like that. She had to tell him that and she did. His eyes had gone incredibly sad and the soft, gentle kiss on her cheek had been one of farewell and she knew it. Calleigh had no idea if or when she'd ever see Jake Berkeley again.

Heaving a heavy sigh, she stood up and got her things from her locker, finally able to go home for the night. Before she could close her locker, Eric came in. "Rough day."

"Yeah, so Calleigh, you going straight home or not?" Eric asked as he fetched his things He was exhausted but didn't really want to go home just yet. He was still too unsettled to be able to relax at home.

She sighed. "I can't even fathom actually going home just yet but I need to get out of here. I was thinking of going for a run. Care to join me?"

Eric smiled. "Yeah."


	56. Chapter 56

_**Little Steps**_

_**chapter 56**_

_**Killing Me Not To**_

Calleigh's mind reeled. Could it be true? Eric was thinking about settling down? Nice if were to be with her? She didn't dare dream about it and had spent so long denying herself to feel that way toward him. She had almost convinced herself that she wasn't his "type"; she wasn't tall, willowy and looking very much like her image should be gracing the cover of some high fashion magazine. She wasn't well-endowed with the kind of ample curves that Eric had always had gracing his arm. On the contrary, she was short and athletically built; nothing special in her eyes. After all, she looked at herself every morning while she got ready for work. She knew that she was a good looking woman, but just not the kind that she'd ever seen Eric date.

Allowing her hair to fall slightly forward, Calleigh watched Eric with new eyes. She took in the caramel glow of his skin, his caring, chocolate eyes, the short cut of his jet black hair and suddenly wished that she could run her fingers through it. The movement of his hands fascinated her to no end and she allowed herself to watch the gentle, yet strong hands flip through the pages of the files. She knew, firsthand how gentle and how strong they could be. She witnessed him being rough with suspects, taking them into custody with an iron grip, yet the tender way he held her time and again when the world overwhelmed her and she broke down. She allowed her mind to wander and wonder what it would feel like for his hands to touch her intimately...Calleigh suddenly felt eyes on her and wrenched herself from her reverie. What did he just say?

"I think it's a bust," Calleigh replied, hoping that she had the gist of what he was saying right.

Eric nodded and she went back to the file folders. Had she suddenly begun looking at hm differently or was that stupid bullet messing with his perceptions again? Keeping his head down, he stole glances at her as she read further into the file she had in her hands. It had to be his file because of the intense concentration on her face. Maybe she'd make a move, knowing how he felt about her. Truth be told, he'd fallen for her the very first time they met. She'd turned him down flat; polite and genteel, with her mellifluous laugh ringing out. They had a spark even back then. He studied her carefully. The silky curtain of pale blonde hid most of her face from him, but he didn't need to see her face to know how she looked. He adored her bright, sparkling green eyes, delicate complexion, so peaches and cream, the small Roman arch of her nose, her full lips...He would love to feel those petal soft full lips against his own. He'd dreamt about it for so long. Would he finally realize his dreams? Could she love him back or just remain nothing but friends? Did he just ruin their friendship by deliberately handing her his file in the stack she was now reading? He wanted to smack himself in the head. His day just went from bad to worse.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x

The light turned red and Calleigh stopped her car. Her mind was not on driving, but on Eric. Not only was she constantly thinking about what she read in his file, but even more, how personal the case had been to him. He had to be hurting and she was driving away from him. Would he do that her if the circumstances were reversed? No, he wouldn't no matter what. When the light turned green, Calleigh pulled over and pulled out her phone.

One ring...two rings...three rings and then he picked up. "Delko."

"Hey, Eric, would you like some company or anything? I know that this day wasn't easy for you. Do you want to talk?" she asked in a hurry and wanted to smack herself in the head. Too much, too fast.

Eric was silent for a moment. She sounded almost panicked. Was she really that worried abut him? "Uhm, yeah, sure; come on over. Want me to order a pizza or something?"

"No, I can pick one up from Manati's on the way over. Why don't you call it in and I'll stop off and get us some beer? By the time I make it to Manati's, the pizza should be ready," Calleigh said, glad that Eric sounded like he always did, maybe a little sad, but nothing more than that.

There was a distinct smile in his voice; the first smile had all day. "Sounds great. I'll see you in a while."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The pizza decimated and several beers down, Eric and Calleigh found themselves on his sofa, staring at each other.

Calleigh cleared her throat. "I know today was hard for you. I can't imagine how you held up. How are you doing, really?"

Eric was so still for a long moment before he answered. "Not as good as I'd like to be. Dr. Marsh was the best therapist that I've ever seen. She didn't try to direct the session, but just let you talk about whatever was on your mind. We didn't really talk a lot about the shooting, but mostly about other things in my life. She helped me so much. I don't know who I'll have next. I'd just forget about it, but there's more stuff I want to work out."

"You said that you felt like you hardly knew her, but she did right by you.," Calleigh said. "You know that you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Calleigh, I know that, just...you're not a therapist and I need a therapist. I know that I can talk to you, but there's just somethings that I can't tell you," Eric said, rubbing a hand over his head.

Calleigh nodded. There were things that she wasn't ready to share with him as well. "I understand. Is there anything that I can do to help you through this?"

Eric took her hand. "You already are. I thought I wanted to be alone tonight. It turns out that I really didn't. I'm glad you called."

Calleigh graced him with a gentle, sympathetic smile and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Tonight was not the time to discuss what she read in his file. He was too smarting and raw. What he needed right now was for her to be his friend. "Okay. What do you want to do? We don't have to talk if you don't want to."

Eric gave her a grateful smile. "Could you stand a little Monday Night Football?"

"Sure."


	57. Chapter 57

_**a/n: This is something that happened to me when I was 26. It was a real pain in the butt. I just thought that we needed an interlude instead of an episode related chapter, I'd give us one. I know, I'm so mean. And, bonus-the chapter is long. Let me know if you want another chapter with the illness or should I move on?**_

_**Little Steps**_

_**chapter 57**_

_**Downtime**_

Calleigh scratched at her thigh yet again and wondered what was making her whole body itch so badly. She didn't change detergent or fabric softener and hadn't been in any place that would have poison ivy or oak. Huffing in irritation and discomfort, she made for the Ladies' to find out what was making her itch so badly. Once there, she went into a stall and pulled her trousers down. She gasped in shock. Her thighs were liberally dotted with raised red spots with white heads. They itched unbelievably bad. This was bad, very bad. She pulled out her phone and dialed her doctor's number.

"Hey, Dr. Goldflies, this is Calleigh Duquesne. Listen, I have red spots with white heads all over me. What could that be?" she asked.

"Are they everywhere, more in the armpits and your privates?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah, and they itch incredibly badly. What is this?" she asked.

The doctor let out a heavy sigh. "Where are you?"

"I'm at work."

"Okay, get your things; I'm sending a cab. I want your ass in my office in under an hour. Tell your boss you have to go and now," he said, his tone commanding and giving Calleigh every impression that what she had was deadly serious.

"Alright, I'll text him as soon as we get off. He's at a crime scene. What do I have?" Calleigh asked, fearing some dread disease.

"I'm not going to say until you get over here. You are contagious, so stay away from as many people as you can. Just get out and wait for my cab." he said firmly. What she had was very serious at her age. It could do untold lasting damage to her. She had to get in and taken care of.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x

Calleigh bit her lip yet again. "What is it, Doctor?"

The grandfatherly doctor sat back, replacing his glasses on his head. "Calleigh, what childhood diseases have you had?"

Calleigh sat and though hard. She could remember nothing, really. "I had scarlet fever when I was five. That's it. Why? What is it?"

"In a moment. Have you been around children recently, say in the last couple of weeks?" he asked. He knew what she had and if she was a child, he wouldn't be too worried about it. But Calleigh was quite a distance from childhood and that was what worried him.

"I went to help out with my partner's niece's birthday party a couple of weeks ago. What aren't you telling me?" Calleigh asked, feeling more alarmed by the moment.

"You're going to feel foolish when I tell you," he warned. "But the the fact of the matter is that in an adult, it can become very serious. Calleigh, you have Chicken Pox."

Calleigh was dumbstruck. Chicken Pox? Did she hear him right? That was a kid's illness. "Did you just say what I think you said? I have something kids get? You've got to be kidding me!"

"I told you that you'd feel foolish. Now, when adults get chicken pox, it can get very serious very fast. Because you can have them internally as well as externally, I don't know how severe they are. I'm going to err on the side of caution and say they're moderately severe. I am going to give you something to ease the itching so you don't accidentally scratch yourself when you sleep and something to keep the chicken pox from morphing into pneumonia. If you were ten, all you'd get are the meds for the itching. I want you to take every last pill and you have a two week vacation from work. You can't go back until every last blister has popped and dried," the doctor said seriously. He needed her to take his information and diagnosis seriously. "You're going to follow everything I said, right?"

Calleigh's mind was spinning in disbelief, but there was no denying the evidence on her skin. "Y-yes, yes, of course. Until the medication takes effect, is there anything that I can do to make the itching stop?"

"You can dot the blisters with calamine lotion or you can turn your bathtub into a vat of oatmeal. Take a couple of boxes of regular oatmeal and sprinkle it into the bathwater. It should help stop the itching and you won't be mottled pink," he said, relieved that she was taking it all very seriously. "Add some milk and sugar to the bath and you can have fun eating your way out."

It took a moment for what his last statement was and then she cracked a smile. "Okay, am I just normal contagious, like a kid? You know, I'm no threat to someone whose already had it and a biohazard to someone whom hasn't?"

"That's right," he replied, handing her her prescriptions. "Call your boss and tell him what you have. He'll probably laugh."

"Horatio, probably not, but my co-workers will. I can hear them already. Thanks, Doctor. I'll get these filled on the way home...I have to take a cab back to the Lab and pick up my car," Calleigh said and then sighed, pulling out her phone and calling a cab company before calling Horatio.

He picked up on the second ring. "Calleigh, is everything alright? You aren't sick, are you?"

"Actually, I am and I'm contagious and you're not going to believe what I have," Calleigh said, feeling completely ridiculous. "You're going to laugh."

"Calleigh, if you're sick, I'm not going to laugh. How bad is it?"

"Well, I can't be back to the Lab for two weeks starting now. I have chicken pox," Calleigh said, waiting for the laughter to start. When it didn't, she asked,"Horatio, did you hear what I said? I have chicken pox."

"Calleigh, I'm not laughing because that can get very serious," Horatio said.

"I know and as soon as I get back to the Lab and pick up my car, I'm filling my prescriptions and going home. The funny part is that I don't feel sick at all. I feel fine, just really annoyingly itchy," Calleigh said, just as her cab pulled up. "Listen, I'm getting in the cab now and should be at the Lab in 20. I call you when I get home, okay?"

"You do that and get some rest. I'll check in on you later," Horatio said and hung up.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eric jogged around the corner by Ballistics to find a cleaning crew wiping everything down "What are you all doing? You know CSI Duquesne is going to explode when she finds out you're doing what you're doing."

"Lt. Caine's orders."

"What?" Eric spluttered and then made a bee line for Horatio's office. Luckily, Horatio was just hanging up his sports coat when Eric flew in his door.

"Come in, Eric," Horatio said with a dry humor. "What's so urgent?"

"What is the cleaning crew doing disinfecting Calleigh's Lab? What's going on?" Eric demanded.

"Eric, calm down. It's only as a precaution. Calleigh will be out sick for the next two weeks," Horatio said calmly.

Eric was startled by the knowledge. "Two weeks, H? She must be awfully sick. What does she have?"

"Why don't you call her and ask her? She just is contagious, none too comfortable; not dying," the Lieutenant suggested. He could see the worry on Eric's face. "Why don't you take lunch and go check on her?"

"Can I?" Eric nearly begged. He was incredibly worried and could not imagine what dread illness that could make Calleigh voluntarily take two weeks off. When Horatio nodded, Eric high tailed it out of the Lab and he was more than halfway to Calleigh's before it occurred to him that it might be a good idea to call, but then thought better of it. She could be napping. So, he'd show up at her door and if she didn't answer, he'd call her later. She'd probably kill him for not calling, but he'd deal with her ire when it hit him in the face.

A short while later, Eric pulled up in her driveway. He got out of his car and walked up to her front door and knocked. He would have rang the bell, but he didn't want to wake her if she were sleeping. He knocked again and was about to turn to go when the door opened and Calleigh appeared. She stayed well within the shadow of the house, but he could see that she was in a tank top and shorts.

"Eric, what are you doing here?" she asked, startled. She threw up her hand when he took a step closer. "Don't come any closer. I'm contagious."

"H said you'd be out for two weeks," he said, stepping back. "What do you have?"

"It's nothing, really. I'm just contagious," Calleigh hedged. "Besides, when you hear it, you're going to laugh."

"Cal, you're sick. I won't laugh at you."

Calleigh took a deep breath and, rolling her eyes, said, "I have chicken pox."

Relief washed through Eric and he involuntarily let out a laugh. "Chicken pox, Calleigh? Lemme see them. I've already had it when I was a kid. Apparently you didn't."

Calleigh stepped into the light and Eric took in her polka dotted appearance. "I have an urge to play connect the dots."

"I will shoot you."

"How do you feel?" he asked gently.

"Incredibly itchy and I can't do anything about it," she replied, opening the door wide. "Come on in."

"Don't you have calamine lotion?" he asked, following her back into the living room.

"No, I have nothing and I can't go to the store to get anything. I even went through the drive through pharmacy for the prescriptions. They'll be ready in about an hour," she said miserably.

Eric looked at her with deep sympathy. He remembered the incessant itching that nearly drove him insane. "Listen, since I'm here, let me go and get some stuff for your itching and then I'll pick up your prescriptions, okay?"

"Eric, you don't have to-"

"But I will," he said, cutting her off. "So quit arguing with me. I'll ask the pharmacist what's best." With a small smile, Calleigh shook her head, yet agreed. She told him which was her pharmacy and gave him plenty for the meds and the other stuff.

Chuckling to himself, Eric got back in his car and headed off to the pharmacy that he knew that Calleigh used. After speaking at length with the pharmacist, he followed her advice and grabbed some Aveeno and an oatmeal bath stuff as well as her prescriptions and returned to Calleigh's home in a little over an hour. He made sure she took the medication before handing her the anti-itch things.

"Cal, why don't I go ahead and draw you a bath so you can feel better?" Eric asked, already heading toward the bathroom.

Calleigh was mildly appalled. "Eric, you don't have to do this for me. I can take care of myself. You have to be on your lunch break and I bet you haven't eaten yet. Let me at least make you something."

"Relax, Calleigh, I'll grab something on the way back to the Lab. I'll stop by after work to check in on you," Eric reasoned, flipping out his phone and hitting his speed dial. "Hey, H, I'm still at Calleigh's and I just-"

"Slow down, Eric. How is she?" Horatio asked, concerned for his Ballistics expert. It didn't bother him that Eric had already used up his lunch hour. He knew it was for a good reason.

"She's really uncomfortable, but otherwise she's fine," Eric assured him. "I just want to make sure she's as comfortable as she can be before I come back in. Is that alright?"

Horatio was touched by Eric's display of concern. "Of course. Make certain she has everything she needs before coming back in. Take your time."

"Thanks H," Eric said before cutting the connection. He turned back to Calleigh and repeated what Horatio had told him. "So, no complaining and I'm running the bath."

"Fine, then I'll make you something to eat," Calleigh retorted playfully. "But you are _not _bathing me."

Eric laughed as he walked into her bathroom. "Fine. Feed me."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Calleigh held the towel around her and opened the bathroom door. "Hey, Eric, are you done eating? I think I need a little bit of help, here."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you need," Eric replied, wiping his hands on a dish towel and exiting the kitchen. "I'm warming up some soup for you and your sandwich is in the fridge. What did you need help with?"

"I kind of need a little help with getting the lotion on my back and I'm going to scream," Calleigh said, blushing slightly. She had already changed into one of her bikinis and it wasn't like Eric hadn't seen her in it before, just...with the new feelings for him that she was finally allowing herself to acknowledge along with the knowledge of his feelings toward her made her feel slightly shy about it.

Eric cracked a grin at her and held out his hand for the bottle. "Sure, Cal. I don't want you all scratchy. Gimme your back." He was paying more attention to getting enough lotion in his hand that he didn't notice that Calleigh had dropped the towel, baring her back to him. He looked up and his jaw dropped. He had forgotten just how creamy her skin was, even marred at that moment by a swarm of chicken pock blisters. His mouth was suddenly dry and he hoped that his hands weren't all clammy. He hadn't felt like that since he fell for Risa Rodriguez in the sixth grade.

"Eric, is everything alright?" Calleigh asked.

"Uhm...yeah, yeah everything's fine. I was just, uhm, reading the directions," Eric said, hoping he didn't sound lame. He very gently began smoothing the lotion over her shoulders, spreading it slowly and carefully down her back..

Calleigh closed her eyes the moment Eric's hands made contact with her skin. She suppressed a shiver of pleasure and bit her lower lip. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but she really wanted to be certain he was clear in his own mind about his feelings for her. His hands slid lower and she let out an involuntary moan of pleasure.

His hands stopped moving. "Are you in pain?" he asked, concerned.

"No, not at all. It just feels really good, that's all," Calleigh said, trying to cover herself. "It's really helping the itching." She breathed a sigh of relief when his hands resumed moving and gently rubbing in the lotion.

Eric regretfully removed his hands from her warm skin. She felt a little too warm and the bath water was more tepid than hot. "Calleigh, I think you might have a fever. Your skin feels too warm."

Calleigh slid a light t-shirt over her head and pulled her shorts back on. "Actually, I'm a little chilly. The bath water was a little too cool. I know I'm supposed to keep cool, but I'm really chilled."

Eric came to stand in front on her and placed his lips on her forehead. She was very warm. "You have a fever. I can get you a thermometer, but believe me, you do."

"Okay. Maybe I should take a nap or something," Calleigh said, realizing that she was actually starting to feel ill.

Eric resisted the urge to put his arms around her. "Well, I made you some soup and a sandwich. Why don't you have a little and then lay down? You need to have a little something."

Calleigh smiled up at him. If she only had the guts to tell him how she felt... "Since you went to the trouble, alright. Hey, speaking of food, your lunch break is way over. You should get back to the Lab."

Eric chuckled at her. "Spoken like H's second. I will as soon as you eat and lay down."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eric closed the front door very softly so that Calleigh could have some quiet and rest. He smiled to himself. He hated that Calleigh was sick, but she always had been adorable when she was sick. Oh, who was he kidding? She was adorable, gorgeous and sexy as hell to him anytime. As he drove back to the Lab, he thought about how dangerous chicken pox were to an adult and began to worry. She had definitely been feverish and had chills when he left. Maybe he should stop by after his shift to check on her and to see if she needed anything.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x

"So, uhm, Eric, where have you been? I went looking for you and H said that you were on a personal errand. Everything alright?" Ryan asked, coming into Fingerprints.

"Yeah, Wolfe, everything is fine.," Eric replied, not looking up from his loop. "Hey, I need a second set of eyes on this one. Am I seeing the tented arch right?"

Ryan stepped forward and Eric moved back. He peered at the print and looked it over carefully. "Yeah, yeah, that arch is definitely there. You know, you usually ask Calleigh to be your extra eyes. She busy?"

Eric shook his head. "No, she went home sick."

"No way; Calleigh going home sick? Where is she really? She at a scene?" Ryan asked incredulously. Calleigh never took sick days unless forced to.

"No, she's at home in bed. She's contagious and her doctor won't let her be at work. She's gonna be out for a couple of weeks," Eric explained.

"Come on, Delko. What's wrong with her?" Ryan asked, becoming very concerned about his friend. "Calleigh have the flu or something?"

"No, she doesn't have the flu but if she doesn't take all her meds she can develop pneumonia," Eric said. He lowered his voice. "I'll tell you what she's got but no laughing."

"She's sick, Delko; I'm not going to laugh."

"Alright, Calleigh has chicken pox." Eric said seriously. "H told me and I checked in on her at lunch. She has them and is really uncomfortable. She was running a fever when I left. I'm checking in on her after shift."

"Tell her I hope she feels better and I'll stop by in a couple of days," Ryan said. "What kind of meds is she on? I don't remember having to take anything when I had it when I was a kid."

"One is for the itching and the other is to make sure she doesn't develop pneumonia," Eric explained. "We never got that because we were kids."

"You know, I'm due for a break about now. Think I'll call her," Ryan said, taking out his phone and making his way into the break room, joining Natalia, who was just opening a soft drink. She reached back into the refrigerator and pulled out another one for him. "Thanks. Hey Calleigh, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, just very uncomfortable. Who told you I'm out sick?" Calleigh asked.

"Eric did, but don't kill him. He told me what you're out with," Ryan said quickly. Suddenly there was a tugging on his sleeve. He looked over at Natalia, who was gesturing wildly for the phone. "Either Natalia is having a seizure or wants to talk to you."

Natalia snatched the phone right out f Ryan's hand. "Calleigh, what's wrong?"

There was a long pause before Calleigh spoke. "I swear if you laugh at me I will hunt you down and shoot you."

"Why would I laugh?" Natalia asked.

"Eric did because it's really embarrassing," Calleigh said and pulled the blanket higher up around her. The chills were getting worse. "I'll be out for two weeks because I have chicken pox."

Natalia let out a small snort. "Sorry, it's just...my niece had that last spring. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. At least the anti-itch meds my doctor gave me are starting to work. I'm not all that itchy anymore," Calleigh said.

"Well, do you need me to get you anything?" Natalia asked, relieved that it was something so common.

Calleigh stifled a yawn. "No, I'm pretty good, but thanks for asking."

"I tell you what, tomorrow is my day off. If you're up to it, why don't I come over and bring a gallon of Chunky Monkey and Gone With the Wind? I've had chicken pox so you're no threat to me. Just, only if you're up to it," Natalia offered.

"That sounds like it might be fun. I'll let you know how I feel when I get up. I don't want to be rude, but I think I'll be taking another nap in a few minutes," Calleigh said, stifling yet another yawn.

"Okay, I'll let you go. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Natalia said and then hung up, tossing the phone over to Ryan. "She doesn't sound good at all. She's taking a nap. Calleigh doesn't take naps."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eric gazed at the napping woman in front of him. He figured that she must be feeling pretty awful to be asleep on the couch at five in the evening. He had brought some commercial fried chicken and sides for dinner. He didn't think she'd be up to making anything for herself. He knelt down beside the couch and stroked her cheek gently. "Querida, want some dinner?"

Calleigh shifted and let out a soft groan and mumbled something.

"Cal, come on, get up and have something to eat," he said louder, shaking her shoulder a bit. She was very warm. The fever seemed to have gone higher.

Calleigh's eyes fluttered open. "What?"

"I said, you need to get up and have something to eat," Eric repeated. "I have fried chicken and mashed potatoes...buttermilk biscuits."

Calleigh shut her eyes. "Not now. I'm not feeling too good."

Eric pulled her upright, even though it made him feel guilty to do so. She was sick and needed sleep, but she needed to eat as well. "Querida, you need to eat. It's part of the getting yourself well program. Just a little bit and you can go back to sleep, okay?"

"I have to?" she asked groggily.

Eric, unable to resist, placed a small kiss to the top of her head. "Yes, you do. Now get up and have something to eat."

Calleigh stretched and sat up just as Eric was returning from her kitchen with some plates and a couple of glasses of sweet tea. "What time is it?"

He began to lay out the meal. "5:30. How long have you been napping?"

She rubbed her eyes and reached for a biscuit. "The last thing I remember was talking to Ryan and Natalia."

"That was about an hour and a half ago. How are you feeling?" Eric asked, taking a bite of his chicken.

"Honestly, I feel terrible. I've got chills and I'm exhausted," Calleigh said, then cleared her throat. "And I think I'm getting a sore throat."

Eric sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "You poor baby. I'm sorry I laughed at you earlier. Besides, I think it's my fault you're sick. Remember when you helped out at my niece's birthday party? Well Araceli came down with chicken pox a couple of days later. I never thought to tell you because I thought you already had it when you were a kid. I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault, Eric. I had to get them sometime and I would eventually," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for bringing dinner, but I'm not very hungry at all. I'm sorry that I'm terrible company."

Eric reached over and snuggled the blanket around them. "That's not a problem. Why don't we just sit here and you can sleep or we can talk or watch TV. I'll stay as long as you want me to."

She gave him a playful smile and snuggled in, taking comfort from him. "You can stick around. It's your fault I'm sick, you know. Why don't you turn the TV on and we can watch something?"

Eric smiled down at her, grabbed the remote.


	58. Chapter 58

_**Little Steps **_

_**chapter 58**_

_**Downtime part 2**_

The next time Eric glanced down at Calleigh, she had fallen back to sleep. She was still unbelievably warm. He slid out from beneath her and went to her bathroom cabinet and pulled out her thermometer. It was one of the high-tech digital ones that could take readings from both the mouth and the ear. Alexx had given it to her for no particular reason at all. Eric had gotten a first aide kit. He thought that it was part of Alexx's crusade to help stock their home cabinets for emergencies.

He returned to the couch and inserted the tip of the thermometer into her ear. It only took a few seconds until it beeped and Eric didn't like what he saw. 101.6. She was far too warm. He checked his watch; it wasn't all that late. He hated to do it, but he was worried.

Eric went into the kitchen and dialed. He waited; two rings only.

"Hello?"

"Alexx, it's Eric-"

"What's wrong, baby? I can hear it I your voice so don't try to snow me," Alexx said crisply.

Eric couldn't help relax a little and smile. "I'm fine, it's Calleigh. She picked up a bug and her temperature is really high and it's been that way for a few hours now," Eric said, glad to have someone that knew what they were doing on the other end of the line.

"I can't help you help her until I know what bug it is, you know that, Eric. What does she have?" Alexx asked warmly.

"She picked up chicken pox from my niece. Calleigh has already gone to her doctor and has meds to take. One is basically an antihistamine to take the edge off the itching and the other is an antibiotic to help prevent pneumonia from happening. She's constantly sleepy. I just took her temperature a few minutes ago and it was 101.6. How can I get that fever down?" Eric asked, worry evident in his voice.

Alexx knew she needed to reassure Eric. She saw first hand over the years how much he and Calleigh cared about each other. She remembered comforting a distraught Calleigh when Eric had been shot and it was evident that his memory had been altered. "Alright, baby, a fever is normal. Calleigh is sick and that fever is there to fight the virus that's infected her. The fever is high, but in a normal range with this kind of thing. Eric, both of my kids had it and they both ran a fever like Calleigh's. If you're really worried, get her to take some ibuprofen to knock the fever down. The fact that one of her meds is mostly an antihistamine, explains her tiredness. Just make sure she takes her meds when she needs to. Baby, sleep is good for her right now and let that fever do it's job for a few more hours. If it hasn't broken by morning, call me and I'll be over like a shot."

Eric felt the comfort envelop him like a blanket on a cold night; warm and comforting. He felt better for just having spoken with her. He trusted Alexx completely. "Alexx, thank you. I was so worried. Calleigh doesn't normally get sick, so it really freaked me out. You gave me an idea of how to help her. I'll be around to help. If this is normal, then fine. I'll keep you up on it. Want to check in?"

"I will tomorrow. I have a couple of days off so I can look in on her."

He truly appreciated Alexx's assessment of the the situation. "Alexx, thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Oh, you would have done your level best to help her in the best way you could," Alexx said

Eric felt himself blush. "Is she gonna be okay?"

"If the fever goes beyond tomorrow or spikes, then you need to worry. For now, baby, just take care of her," Alexx said. "I'll check in tomorrow afternoon."

"Thanks again, Alexx," Eric said and hung up. Checking on Calleigh once more, he went into her bathroom and rummaged in her medicine cabinet for a moment until her found the ibuprofen. He grabbed it and a glass of water from the kitchen and returned to Calleigh's side. He gently shook her shoulder. "Calleigh, querida, wake up for a little bit. You have to take some medicine."

Calleigh let out a low groan and opened her eyes. "What, Eric?"

"I said that I need you to get up and take some medicine. It's just ibuprofen to take your fever down a little. You'll feel a little better," Eric said, taking two caplets out and handing her the water. "Then you need to have something to eat. I know you're not hungry, but you need a little something in your stomach. You also need something to drink or you'll dehydrate with the fever. Come on; up."

Calleigh rolled her eyes and sat up. She took the proffered caplets and water. Once she began to drink, she realized she was rather thirsty. "I really could use something to drink."

"I'll get you something and I'll warm up the chicken for you," Eric said, going into the kitchen. "Don't fall back to sleep on me."

Calleigh yawned and stretched a little. "I promise I won't." She could hear Eric rummaging around in her kitchen and then the refrigerator door opening and closing, the sound of the microwave running and then liquid being poured. "Do you want any help?"

"No, I'm good," Eric replied, returning with a plate of chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and coleslaw. He put it in her lap.

Calleigh hadn't been too certain she'd be hungry at all, but the aroma made her mouth water. She dug in and couldn't believe how hungry she found herself. "I'm so glad you thought of this, Eric," she said between bites.

He placed a small kiss to the top of her head. "You're welcome and slow down a bit. How are you feeling?"

As she chewed, she thought for a bit before answering. "I've still got chills, but I feel alright beyond that."

"Good. It's almost time for you to take your next dosage."

"Wait, is it really that late? Eric, you should have gone home a long time ago!" Calleigh exclaimed. She felt horribly guilty in his staying with her while all she did was sleep.

Eric grinned at her. "Don't worry about it. It was no problem. I got to raid your sweet tea and use your satellite TV."

x-x-x-x

The cell phone rang, waking Eric. "Delko," he said gruffly, sitting up on Calleigh's couch."

Horatio's whiskey tone sounded in his ear. "Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but don't worry about it. What time is it?" Eric asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He got up and went to Calleigh's bedroom door, opened it and peered in. She was just as he had left her last night, all snuggled under her covers and sleeping peacefully.

"6:30 A.M. Where are you?" Horatio asked.

"I'm still at Calleigh's. She was running a nasty fever last night so I decided to stay over and keep an eye n her. I just looked in and she's still asleep," Eric said. "Don't worry, H, I'll be in on time."

"I know. Just make sure she has everything she needs before you come in. I'd give you the day, but I'm two CSIs down with Calleigh out and Natalia having the day off. I'd call her in, but she hasn't had a day in ten," Horatio said.

"I hear you," Eric said. "See you in a couple of hours."

x-x-x-x

Natalia sat on the couch and scooped another spoonful of butter pecan into her mouth. "Do you want me to go? You look sleepy."

Calleigh smiled and scooped up another spoonful of ice cream. "No, I'm fine. I'm not even really itchy or anything. Besides, it's nice to just have a girls' day. We haven't done this in a while."

"Okay, but if I'm tiring you out you tell me and I'm gone," Natalia said. She was silent for a while and watched the movie. "So, uhm, what's with you and Delko? I mean, he stayed the night."

Calleigh blushed. "On the couch. He said he was worried about me because of the fever and didn't want to leave me here alone in case something went wrong. We're just friends, Nat; nothing more."

Natalia gave her a look that said that she clearly didn't believe the blonde's explanation. "C'mon, Calleigh, really? You two are closer than two people that aren't in a relationship have ever been.

Unless one of you bats for the other team, there has to be something."

Calleigh laughed. "No, we're both on the usual teams and Eric is my best friend. I trust him with every fiber of my being. There's nothing going on."

Natalia was silent, guaging Calleigh's possible response. "Maybe there should be. Calleigh, when you went missing, Eric was so frantic to find you. I mean, we all were worried about you, but not like Eric. He actually assaulted Cooper. And you are more overprotective over him than you are over any of us. I'm just saying that maybe there should be something between you."

Calleigh shook her head and chuckled slightly. "Nat, even if that was in the possibility of happening, we have that pending rule of no fraternization between co-workers. One or both of us could lose our jobs."

"Calleigh, what's more important than finding the love of your life?" Natalia asked.

Calleigh had no answer.


	59. Chapter 59

_**Little Steps**_

_**Chapter 59**_

_**Wrecked**_

Eric had worried about Calleigh all day long, his own aches and pains from the crane crashing into the building unimportant in the realm of his concern. He couldn't help but replay over and over her anguished cry as William Campbell slipped from her grasp. It rent his heart in two to hear her in that kind of pain. She was deflated and somber beyond words all day as she obviously struggled to remain professional. It was only after Campbell's wife slapped her across the face did the air of defeat surround her. Her soft admittance of "No" when he asked if she was okay made him want to put his arms around her and hold her, keeping the harsh reality at bay for just a little while. Eric had only seen her that small and vulnerable once before; Detective John Hagen's suicide on her own firing range and right in front of her.

Eric entered the locker room, hoping to find Calleigh there. It was her usual quitting time and the case had been solved. She was conspicuously absent. He checked the duty roster board and her name was still in the "In" column. He checked Firearms, but she wasn't there. He stuck his head in Trace. "Hey, Wolfe, have you seen Calleigh lately?"

Ryan looked up from his scope. "Yeah, she was headed toward Autopsy the last time I saw her. Delko, is she okay? She's been...I don't know; off. I mean, she lost Mr. Campbell and then his wife hit her when she was only..."

"Yeah, I know; that's why I'm checking on her," Eric said with a slight sigh. So he wasn't the only one worried. "Autopsy?"

"Yeah."

xxxxxxxxx

Calleigh stood and pushed the drawer back into the slot. With a heavy sigh, she leaned back against the cooler, blinking back tears of grief. Did she try hard enough to save him? Could she have done something different? Would he still be alive if she had?

She wiped her eyes and shoved off, making her way to the door and out into the hallway. She turned the corner near the elevator and ran straight into Eric. She ducked her head to avoid him seeing the tears in her eyes. "Sorry. Excuse me."

Eric put his hands on her shoulders, feeling her stiffen under his touch. "Hey, I've been looking for you. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I was just heading home," her voice was slightly gruff.

"No, you're not fine. You can't possibly be," Eric said softly. "Not with everything that happened today. I certainly wouldn't be."

"Well I'm not you, Eric," She exploded. "Please let me go and get out of my way."

She made to move past him, but he held onto her shoulders. "No. Calleigh, I've known you for too long to not know how this day has to be affecting you." His voice softened. "Let's go somewhere quiet and talk."

I don't want to talk. I just want to be left alone," Calleigh said, remaining stubbornly closed off to him.

Eric held onto her, even though she tried to break away again. "Don't you think that maybe I want to talk about it? We lost a witness, sure, and I'm...I don't even know how I feel about that. But I do know that I could have lost my best friend today and that terrifies me beyond words. Think that I might want to talk about it with you?"

Calleigh stopped fighting immediately and stood still under his hands. She hadn't thought beyond her own pain to even think that anyone else might be in pain other than the Campbells. She could feel the tears trying to come back. "Okay; we'll talk, but not here. It's too-"

"I know. Let's get out of here and find a quiet place to talk."

xxxxxxx

The pier was quiet; no one around for hundreds of yards. Eric and Calleigh sat on the edge, pant legs rolled up, legs dangling, shoes off.

Eric tore his gaze from the breathtaking waves to land on Calleigh's anguished face. "Talk to me," he said softly.

Calleigh closed her eyes and ducked her head. "I can't stop seeing it. I can't stop seeing him fall. And I can't help feeling that it was all my fault, that I let go or didn't hang on tight enough. I wasn't good enough. I wasn't strong enough. The last thing he said was "for my family". What did he mean?" She scrubbed a tear from her cheek with the heel of her hand.

Eric let his fingertips brush her other hand. "It's not your fault, Calleigh. You did your best and you know it. With that floor crumbling, you couldn't have held on any longer than you did."

She shook her head. "No, I could have held on and I should have even when he let go of me. I should have. But he fell...slipped right out of my hand...I let him die."

"You did not let him die, You didn't. Look at me, Cal. You did everything right. You just said that he slipped right out of your hand.. How could you possibly hold on?" Eric put his finger under her chin and lifted her head so she had to look him right in the eyes. He was startled by the depth of pain he saw there. "I know you feel guilty. A man died on our watch. We were supposed to protect him and we failed, but not through our own actions. You know that. I'll carry that guilt just like you will, but, for me, it could have been so much worse."

"How could it be? Like you said, William died-"

"But you didn't and you could have. William's weight could have pulled you right over the edge, too and that could have been you impaled and dead. Calleigh, I could have easily lost you and been powerless to prevent it because I was stuck behind steel and concrete. How do you think I'd be feeling right now if I lost you today?" Eric said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Calleigh was silent for a long while, contemplating Eric's words. She scooted closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. "But you didn't. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, Eric. You're not going to lose me."

"The point is, Calleigh, is that you could have been pulled over the edge, too," Eric said, putting his arm around her. "What you did was incredibly brave, and exactly what any one of us in the lab would have done but, one of these days your bravery is going to catch up with you and I hope to God that you're not taken from us...from me. I don't know how I would handle that."

Calleigh put an arm around Eric's waist and was startled by his sharp intake of breath. She had forgotten that Eric had been hurt in the crash."Are you okay? Are you in any pain? I'm sorry I forgot that you had been hurt. I'm such an-"

"No you're not. You've had your own things to deal with today. What happened to you is far more of a trauma than a couple of bumps and bruises that happened to me. I'll heal up just fine," Eric said, hugging her to him just a little. He heard her take a shuddering breath. "It's okay to let it go. It's just us."

She nodded and buried her face in his shoulder.


End file.
